The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) is calling for the arrest of influential Ijaw leaders due to their alleged threats to halt oil production if State Governor Siminalayi Fubara faces impeachment. Based in Port Harcourt, RRM has accused former militant leader Alhaji Asari Dokubo and the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, of making statements that threaten the stability of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Friday, RRM’s Director-General, Johnson Georgewill, also pointed fingers at High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, the National Publicity Secretary of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), for issuing violent threats in the event of Fubara’s removal. Georgewill described the comments from these leaders as reckless and inflammatory, highlighting their potential to undermine national security and disrupt peaceful coexistence. As advocates for peace, justice, and a united Nigeria, RRM firmly believes that no individual or group should claim a monopoly on violence.
We urge security agencies to take immediate action against Dokubo, Okaba, Sara-Igbe, and any other individuals or groups that pose a threat to the Nigerian State, its economy, or its citizens, he declared. Georgewill raised concerns about whether those issuing threats to undermine the nation’s economy see themselves as more Ijaw than the nine Ijaw lawmakers currently serving in the Rivers State House of Assembly. He also criticized Ijaw leaders for their silence regarding the plight of these nine lawmakers, who he claimed have faced mistreatment, humiliation, and denial of their allowances by Fubara for over a year.
The RRM leader further accused the Fubara administration of withholding the legislators’ entitlements, despite any court ruling that declared their seats vacant. “Nigeria is a constitutional democracy that operates under the rule of law.
The Supreme Court, as the highest authority in the country, has already issued its ruling, and Governor Fubara is obligated to adhere to its decision,” Georgewill emphasized. He called on the public to dismiss what he termed “groundless and ineffective threats,” reinforcing that the laws of the nation hold ultimate authority. In response, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, confirmed that the police are fully aware of the threats, especially those from militant groups.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) notes that the Niger Delta Rescue Movement, a militant organization, has threatened to target oil installations in retaliation for the withholding of the state’s federal allocation. The group has issued a stark warning to non-indigenous residents in Rivers, advising them to evacuate for their own safety, citing an imminent threat of violence. In response, Adepoju has dismissed these militant threats, reassuring the community that law enforcement and security agencies are fully equipped to manage any attempts to disrupt peace in the state. “We are tackling the situation methodically; no one holds a monopoly on violence,” he stated. The command is actively managing the circumstances and is ready for any potential changes, he confirmed.
Adepoju highlighted that the situation is under close scrutiny, and the police will not permit anyone to heighten tensions. He asserted that those who pose threats to national security do not possess the capability to confront the government. “Governor Fubara is addressing the situation with remarkable poise and dedication to peace; therefore, there is no cause for alarm,” he stated. “The police are more than capable of handling this,” he emphasized. The police commissioner encouraged residents to carry on with their daily lives, assuring them that their safety is of top priority.
