Prominent Rivers State human rights activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, accusing him of deepening the political crisis rather than resolving it.
In a televised interview on Arise TV, Briggs warned that Ibas’s actions are “pouring petrol on a fire,” exacerbating tensions in the state since the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu.
“If we accept that Vice Admiral Ibas was called out of retirement and sent to Rivers State to keep the peace, then he is very far from doing that. In fact, what he’s doing is pouring petrol on a fire the president may have thought was simmering. He’s set it ablaze,” she declared.
Briggs criticised Ibas’s sweeping decisions, including the removal of elected local officials and the appointment of caretaker administrators. He also constituted a new electoral commission—moves she described as unconstitutional and politically biased.
“He’s not from Rivers State. How does he know who to appoint? On what basis is he removing civil servants and replacing them? That’s unconstitutional,” she said.
Accusing Ibas of promoting the interests of a political figure, Briggs added: “The people being removed are not Wike’s people. The people he is bringing in are Wike’s people. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure that out. He’s playing a dangerous script.”
She urged President Tinubu to reassess the federal government’s intervention in Rivers State and suggested neutral national figures like Bishop Matthew Kukah or General Abdulsalami Abubakar be involved instead.
“There was no insecurity in Rivers State. The president has been grossly misinformed—through no fault of his own—but clearly misinformed by those with personal, political, economic, and power interests in Rivers State,” she said.
Briggs warned that the growing unrest could escalate into civil disturbance, stressing: “There is serious concern. I say this as a daughter of Rivers State. This kind of situation can explode.”