President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) as the sole administrator of Rivers State following the declaration of a state of emergency. This decision also led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and 27 lawmakers for an initial six-month period.
Announcing the appointment on March 18, President Tinubu stated, “In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.” He assured that the state’s judiciary would continue functioning within its constitutional mandate.
Who is Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas?
Born on September 27, 1960, in Nko, Cross River State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas is a retired naval officer and the 22nd Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Nigerian Navy, serving from 2015 to 2021.
His military career began at the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of the 26 Regular Course on June 20, 1979. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on January 1, 1983. Ibas pursued extensive military education, including training in India, pilot training at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna, and staff courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji. He also earned a diploma in amphibious warfare from the U.S. Marine Corps University and a master’s degree in defense and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan.
Military Service and Leadership Roles
Throughout his service, Ibas held key leadership positions, including:
Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Underwater Warfare School and Forward Operating Base Ibaka
Naval Provost Marshal
Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of Naval Staff
Commander, Naval Air Base, Ojo
Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command
Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters
Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited
In 2015, he was appointed as the Chief of Naval Staff, a position he held until his retirement in 2021. For his distinguished service, he was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.
Ibas is a member of professional organizations such as the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and the Nigerian Institute of Management. He has attended various international capacity development seminars, including those at Harvard Kennedy School in the U.S.
A New Chapter for Rivers State
As he assumes his role as the sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibas is tasked with managing the state’s governance during this emergency period. His appointment is seen as a measure to restore stability and ensure the continuity of government amid the political crisis.