Did Wike's Security Invade Fubara's Private Residence? Fact Emerges

• The Rivers state political crisis took a different dimension when President Bola Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara
• There were claims that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's security operatives attacked the private residence of the suspended governor in Rivers state
• However, the claim has been fact-checked considering the implications of the claim on Nigeria's democracy and Rivers' peace

Port Harcourt, Rivers - The political crisis rocking Rivers state took another dimension recently when President Bola Tinubu announced a state of emergency in the oil-rich state on Tuesday, March 18.

The president also announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, adding that the federal government's intervention in the state's recent internal crisis.

Facebook claims on Wike vs Fubara

However, in a recent video shared on Facebook by Agodi Comedy on March 25, 2025, claiming that some persons forcefully entered a residence. The Facebook user claimed that they were security operatives deployed by Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to invade the private residence of the suspended governor.

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According to Dubawa, a fact-checking organisation, the caption of the post reads:

“The moment security agencies and Nyesom Wike came to embarrass Governor SIM Fubara in his private home.”

See video here:

Reaction to allegations against Wike

Thousands of people have viewed the video, which has the watermark of credible Nigerian media, The Cable. The video has also gained thousands of reactions and reshares.

However, Dubawa fact-checked the claim considering its implication on Nigeria's democracy as well as its implication on the minister's reputation.

Also, the public interest in the unfolding political events in Rivers state. There was no credible source that reported that claim, and the exact video of the event was found on The Cable's verified X and Facebook pages.

The actual event on alleged video on Rivers

The actual event was the altercation between Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu, who were laying claim to the position of the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party's national secretariat in Abuja.

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The video was taken after Sunday Ude-Okoye and some of his supporters were forced out of the PDP secretariats by the security of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, during a meeting organised by the party's Board of Trustees (BoT). The incident happened on January 29, 2025.

Subsequently, the police and other security agencies took over the secretariat of the PDP, and the Supreme Court recently made a pronouncement about the incident. It is therefore important to note that the event predated Fubara's suspension and was not related to the political crisis in Rivers.

Rivers Crisis: Security analyst warns of escalation

A security analyst, Abubakar Sani, has raised concerns over the security implications of the state of emergency declared in Rivers state, warning that it may escalate tensions rather than restore peace.

"I strongly believe that instead of calming the situation, it will polarize the state in such a manner that the two opposing camps will now restrategize and arm themselves to the teeth," Sani told Legit.ng.

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He noted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has strong supporters who see him as their "messiah" and would do anything to ensure his victory.

"He has rehabilitated and empowered them. They are also enemies of Minister Wike. For example, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, who has been made a king by Fubara. And many others too," he added.

According to him,

"Many people, including myself, see it as victimization of Fubara because indications clearly reveal that Abuja is biased towards Minister Wike. So, Fubara, being the underdog, enjoys some sympathy from the public."

While acknowledging efforts by Ijaw leaders like Senator Dickson Seriake and PANDEF to maintain peace, he warned that tensions remain high.

"That doesn't mean peace is assured, especially now that Nigerians have seen that the members of the National Assembly didn't get the required number of two-thirds majority before they endorsed the President’s decision. In fact, it is alleged that some legislators took bribes in dollars."

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Sani advised the federal government to focus on resolving the root causes of the crisis.

"My advice to Abuja is to address the root causes of this crisis, to also caution Minister Wike, and to respect the constitution and restore Fubara back to his office because Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended does not give the President the power to remove an elected governor even though it gives him the power to declare a state of emergency," he concluded.

Governor Fubara approved a N100k Christmas bonus

Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state has approved an N100,000 Christmas bonus for civil servants, public servants and pensioners in the state.

Fubara was said to have moved so the beneficiaries could have a fulfilling Yuletide celebration in their homes.

This gesture will be Governor Fubara's second of its kind, considering he started in 2023.

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Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a security analyst for this report.

Source: Legit.ng