Security operatives have thwarted an attempt to bomb a pipeline in Allu-Rumuekpe, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, leading to the arrest of eight suspects and the recovery of arms and ammunition.
The plot was foiled by a joint security task force established after the March 18 emergency rule declaration. During the operation, six individuals who had been held hostage by the suspects were rescued.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, while parading the recovered arms and ammunition, stated that some of the vandals lost their lives while attempting to execute the attack on March 21 due to the swift intervention of security forces.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) announced the resignation of the Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke. In the interim, Dr. Iyingi Brown, Permanent Secretary of Welfare in the Office of the Head of Service, will assume acting duties.
Additionally, Ibas appointed Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG). However, a group of lawyers, led by Chimezie Enuka and represented by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, has filed a case at the Federal High Court challenging the legality of Ibas’ appointment.
Labour unions have condemned the emergency declaration and called for its reversal within a reasonable timeframe. The Rivers Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairperson, Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) Chairperson, Chuku Emecheta, warned that failure to comply could lead to strategic union actions.
However, the emergency rule has received backing from stakeholders under the Rivers Restoration Movement (RSM) and legal scholars, including the University of Ilorin Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN).
Commissioner Adepoju detailed the security operations, revealing that during a raid on March 21 along Omoku Road in Ahoada East, eight male suspects were arrested, and six kidnapped victims were rescued. Another operation in the Ogbe-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area on March 19 led to the arrest of two suspects in possession of four dynamites, detonators, and other explosives.
Security operatives also destroyed 30 illegal refining sites, 55 ovens, 20 reservoirs, and 50 dug-out pits and confiscated approximately 100,000 liters of stolen crude oil along with 10,000 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), following regulatory procedures.
Adepoju emphasized the need for proactive policing, stating: “The decision to adopt an aggressive security strategy was driven by the need to prevent elements from plunging the state into chaos. This is a temporary phase, and residents will soon witness a more peaceful and secure Rivers State.”
He further stressed the importance of protecting critical national assets, particularly against threats posed by oil thieves, vandals, kidnappers, and cultists.
To enhance security, a State Operations Room has been established for real-time surveillance and swift response to security threats. The police have also announced a seven-day ultimatum for vehicle owners to comply with registration requirements. Vehicles with missing, improperly affixed, or altered number plates will be impounded.
“We urge all residents to provide credible intelligence on criminal activities,” Adepoju stated, urging public cooperation in securing Rivers State.
