Retired Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has been appointed as the military administrator of Rivers State following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
The appointment comes amidst ongoing tensions between Governor Sim Fubara and former Governor Nyesom Wike, who is an ally of President Tinubu.
Ibas, born on September 27, 1960, hails from Nko in Cross River State. He served as Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 and had a distinguished career in the Nigerian Navy, spanning from 1979 to 2021 before his retirement.
Ibas began his education at Nko Primary School in 1966 and completed his primary schooling at Big Qua Primary School in Calabar in 1971. From 1972 to 1976, he attended Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar, followed by the School of Basic Studies in Ogoja in 1977. In 1979, he entered the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he served in various roles and rose to the rank of Chief of Naval Staff.
Throughout his military career, Ibas attended several local and international military courses, including the prestigious Amphibious Warfare School at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Virginia in 1992 and the National Defence College in Islamabad, Pakistan. He also earned a master’s degree in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.
At 64 years old, Ibas received numerous awards in recognition of his service, including the ECOMOG Medal and the Forces Service Star. In addition, he was honored with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ibas now assumes the role of military administrator in Rivers State, which has been placed under a state of emergency by President Tinubu due to ongoing political tensions.