Following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, soldiers have taken control of the Government House in Port Harcourt.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier has also been positioned at the entrance along Azikiwe Road.
It remains uncertain whether Governor Siminalayi Fubara was present in his official residence when the troops arrived around 9 p.m.
The situation has heightened tension across the state, with residents and motorists rushing home amid fears of unrest.
President Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast, defended the emergency declaration, stating that the prolonged political crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, had resisted peaceful resolutions.
As part of the directive, Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly have been suspended for six months.
To oversee the state’s affairs during this period, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the interim administrator, clarifying that the judiciary would continue functioning as usual.
Reacting to the development, Governor Fubara urged residents to remain calm, assuring them of his commitment to democracy. In a statement, he accused lawmakers loyal to Wike of frustrating his efforts to comply with a Supreme Court ruling.
Meanwhile, political stakeholders, opposition parties, and legal experts have condemned the president’s action, describing it as unconstitutional and a threat to democratic governance.
