Rivers: Fagbemi backs Tinubu, alleges Fubara teleguided militants to blow pipeline

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday, rationalised President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, saying no responsible government would sit back and watch the ugly situation in the state get out of hand without taking steps to salvage the protracted political crisis.

Fagbemi, who justified Tinubu’s position, said the degeneration of the crisis, which resulted in the bombing of some oil installations, warranted the state of emergency in the first instance.

Rationalising the action, he said the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State is to protect the critical infrastructure in the state.

Fagbemi also said the destruction of the State House of Assembly by the Siminalayi Fubara government, preventing the lawmakers from discharging their responsibilities, was the genesis of the crisis that warranted the presidential declaration.

The AGF responded to the controversies surrounding the declaration while featuring in the “Meet the Press Forum,” anchored by Presidential Media aides.

According to Fagbemi, the President indirectly gave Fubara a soft landing by allowing all warring parties in the crisis to make amends within six months.

He said impeachment threats were already dangling before the governor.

The AGF, however, clarified that with the state of emergency now in place, allocations meant for the state would be released to them at the request of the new sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas.

Fielding questions, the AGF alleged that embattled Governor Fubara tele-guided militants to blow up pipelines in the state.

According to him, while the governor was not culpable, he also did nothing to dissuade the militants from taking action against the critical national infrastructure.

He said, “We are in a democracy. So, know them. There was what I will call telegraphing of the militants, I will say, by the governor. And the reason I said so was that when he began, he said, ‘Oh, he will let them know when it was time to act’ to the militants.

“Let us say it was wrong. Did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. And a week after, they swung into action—you see or witness vandalisation of oil pipelines.”

Noting the nation’s almost total reliance on oil, he said anyone who touches the pipeline is not only an enemy of Rivers State but of Nigeria.

He observed that the governor and the members of the State House of Assembly had to be suspended because they failed to ensure a conducive atmosphere for governance in the state.

Pushing back against criticisms that the president’s action was hasty, the AGF noted that people were living in fear while others were dying.

He said both the governor and his deputy were suspended because it is an extraordinary and dire situation.

The AGF said the ball is now in the court of the National Assembly, which could reverse the suspensions by denying the two-thirds majority needed to ratify the action.