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Rivers: Fubara hits back over allegations in Tinubu’s broadcast, lists Wike’s ‘faults’
The suspended governor of Rivers State, Similanayi Fubara, has responded to some of the allegations made by President Bola Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast on Tuesday night.
During the broadcast, Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in the state.
The President also suspended Fubara and members of the Rivers House of Assembly for six months.
Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as sole administrator of the state.
Fubara, in a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, denied some of the allegations made in the broadcast.
According to him, the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was not abandoned after it was demolished, but was under 80% completion.
The statement read in part, “First, it is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way “telegraph” the reported attacks on any oil facility in the State.
”Fubara also claimed that some developments in Rivers State were owing to a controversial remark made by Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister, about the Ijaws.
“It is on record that the reaction of stakeholders in the Niger Delta, especially elders, chiefs, women, Ijaw National Congress, its youth wing, IYC, as well as militants, among others, were triggered by remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, in a live media chat, during which he dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity, saying that Ijaws are not the only ones that are militants and can blow up pipelines; that Ogonis, Ikwerres, and others are also militants and can as well blow up pipelines.
“Most of the Ijaw groups and leaders even demanded an apology from the FCT Minister, which he rebuffed,” he said.
Fubara “made it clear that his administration was committed to the peace, security, and safety of oil facilities in the State.“
He often recalled his pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations in the Region, and repeatedly emphasized the need to protect oil pipelines and other facilities in the State, urging his supporters and the people of the State to avoid acts capable of destabilizing the State or sabotaging the nation’s economy.”
In a somber development for Nigeria’s journalism community, Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of the iconic Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, has died at the age of 75.
Mohammed’s passing, announced recently, follows closely on the heels of the death of his longtime colleague and fellow co-founder, Dan Agbese, who succumbed to a prolonged illness on November 17, 2025, at age 81.
This marks yet another significant loss among the pioneering generation that launched Newswatch in 1984, revolutionizing investigative journalism in Nigeria.
Alongside Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu, and the late Dele Giwa (who was tragically assassinated via a parcel bomb in 1986), Mohammed helped establish Newswatch as a trailblazing weekly newsmagazine known for its bold, fearless reporting and commitment to truth during a turbulent era in Nigerian history.
Reports indicate that Mohammed had been battling an undisclosed ailment before his death. Just months prior, in October 2025, he released his memoir, Beyond Expectations, which provides deep insights into the magazine’s founding, its challenges, and its enduring impact on Nigerian media.
The deaths of Agbese and now Mohammed represent profound blows to the legacy of Newswatch, which set new standards for ethical, investigative, and interpretative journalism in the country.
Tributes are expected to pour in from media practitioners, political leaders, and the public as the nation mourns another pillar of its press freedom movement. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
News
U.S. delivers ‘critical military assets’ to battle terrorists, bandits
Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, visited the U.S. to quicken the process for the supply of 12 AH-1Z fighter jets by Bell Textron of California.AH-1Z, a modern attack helicopter, is equipped with advanced sensors and precision-guided weapons with night-fighting capabilities.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM), has confirmed the delivery of critical military supplies to Nigeria to support the ongoing security operations against terrorists and other non-state actors.
“This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasises our shared security partnership,” said AFRICOM on its official X account yesterday.
AFRICOM, however, did not name the “critical military” tools.
Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, visited the U.S. to quicken the process for the supply of 12 AH-1Z fighter jets by Bell Textron of California.AH-1Z, a modern attack helicopter, is equipped with advanced sensors and precision-guided weapons with night-fighting capabilities.
The supply of the critical military tools came after Washington launched deadly strikes on terrorists in the Northwest on December 24.
News
World Bank projects Nigeria’s urban population to reach 264m by 2050
According to the report entitled ‘Multi-sector analytical review and pathway to transformation’, Nigeria’s urban population has grown exponentially over the last 65 years – from just under seven million in 1960 to over 128 million in 2024, with nearly half the urban population living in slums.
• Lagos Business District
The World Bank says that people living in Nigerian cities will over the next 25 years reach 264 million from the current 140.3 million people.
The Bank made the projection in its Global Economic Prospects report, released yesterday, also forecasts that the Nigerian economy will grow by 4.4 percent in 2026 and maintain that pace in 2027.
In the report, Nigeria is expected to be the third most populous country in the world, after China and India
According to the report entitled ‘Multi-sector analytical review and pathway to transformation’, Nigeria’s urban population has grown exponentially over the last 65 years – from just under seven million in 1960 to over 128 million in 2024, with nearly half the urban population living in slums.
It is projected that 70 percent of the population will live in urban areas by 2050, with cities at the centre of the country’s economic future.
BREAKING: Another Newswatch Magazine Co-Founder Passes Away – Yakubu Mohammed Dies at 75
U.S. delivers ‘critical military assets’ to battle terrorists, bandits
World Bank projects Nigeria’s urban population to reach 264m by 2050
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