Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the state governor, his deputy, and all lawmakers, due to growing security concerns and a failure in governance.

In a television broadcast, President Tinubu stated that he had received alarming security reports over the past two days, detailing disturbing incidents of vandalisation of pipelines by militants, which the state government had failed to address.

“No responsible president will stand by and allow such a grave situation to continue without taking action,” he added, stressing that constitutional measures were necessary to resolve the crisis.

Earlier, police had launched an investigation into an explosion in the state, which caused a fire on Nigeria’s Trans Niger Pipeline, a key oil artery that transports crude from onshore oilfields to the Bonny export terminal.

River State, located in the Niger Delta, is a major source of Nigeria’s oil production, and militant groups have previously targeted pipelines, disrupting production and exports.

In addition to the security concerns, the state has been embroiled in a political crisis, with factions of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at odds and lawmakers threatening to impeach both the governor and his deputy.

With the state of emergency in place, the federal government now has the authority to run the state, implement necessary regulations, and deploy security forces if required to restore order.

To oversee the state’s affairs, President Tinubu has appointed a retired vice admiral as a caretaker for an initial period of six months.

The president also noted that a copy of his declaration had been sent to the National Assembly for approval.

However, he clarified that the declaration would not affect the judicial arm of the state, which will continue to function as required by the constitution.

This unprecedented move highlights the severity of the situation in Rivers State and the federal government’s determination to restore order in the face of mounting security and political challenges.