Thursday, September 25, 2025 - In his petition, Adeyanju asked Ibas to account for the N283.3 billion he received between March 18 and September 17, 2025, excluding Internally Generated Revenue.
Human
rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has written a petition against former Sole
Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.).
He
petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC), demanding an urgent investigation into the financial
activities of the former sole administrator.
In the
petition signed by Adeyanju and addressed to the ICPC Chairman, the firm stated
that Rivers State received at least ₦283.3 billion under Ibas’ watch between
March 18 and September 17, 2025, excluding Internally Generated Revenue.
According
to figures cited from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation,
the amount comprised ₦36.6 billion in local government allocations for January
and February 2025, previously withheld, and ₦246.7 billion in state and local
government allocations between March and June 2025.
“Despite these massive inflows, there is little to no
evidence of projects or tangible development carried out by his
administration,” the petition alleged.
The group claimed the only visible project was the “cosmetic
renovation and painting” of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.
The law firm further accused Ibas of failing to publish the
mandatory budget performance reports for Q2 2025, in violation of transparency
laws.
It also faulted comments attributed to his media aide,
Hector Igbikiowubu, suggesting that the former administrator was not
accountable to the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Equally troubling are recent statements credited to him,
dismissing the authority of the Rivers State House of Assembly to probe his
financial conduct. He insists that because he was appointed by the President
and supervised by the National Assembly, he was only answerable to them,” the
petition read.
The firm urged the ICPC to probe how the ₦283.3bn was
applied, determine if misappropriation occurred, and hold Ibas accountable if
wrongdoing is established
“It is in light of the foregoing that we respectfully
demand that the ICPC probe the financial expenditure of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete
Ekwe Ibas (retd.), ascertain how the total amount of N283.3bn was applied, and
investigate whether any acts of misappropriation, diversion, or abuse of office
occurred during this period,” the petition stated.
Ibas, a retired naval chief and former Chief of Naval Staff
(2015–2021), was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025 as Sole
Administrator of Rivers State after the declaration of a state of emergency.
His six-month appointment sparked controversy over its
constitutionality and the concentration of executive powers in an unelected
administrator. He handed over on September 17, 2025, when Governor Siminalayi
Fubara and the Rivers House of Assembly were reinstated.
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