By Eshiorameh Sebastian, Abuja
A public interest law firm has formally requested Nigeria’s anti-corruption watchdog to investigate the financial expenditure of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd), the former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, over the handling of N283.3 billion in statutory allocations during his six-month tenure.
The petition, addressed to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleges a profound lack of tangible development in the state despite the massive inflows.
According to the petition filed by Deji Adeyanju & Partners, official data from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation shows that Rivers State received the colossal sum between March and June 2025. This figure included N36.6 billion in local government allocations for January and February that had been previously withheld, and a further N246.7 billion in state and local government allocations for the six-month period of Ibas’s administration. The petition contends that there is little visible evidence on the ground to justify how this money was spent.
“The people of Rivers State have seen no tangible projects or developmental strides to justify the expenditure of such colossal sums,” the firm stated. It highlighted that aside from the “cosmetic renovation and painting of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex,” the administration led by the retired naval chief failed to deliver any notable projects.
Adding to the concerns raised, the petition pointed out that the administration did not publish the mandatory budget performance reports for the second quarter of 2025, a transparency requirement for public financial management.
The call for an investigation was further justified by referencing recent statements attributed to Ibas. Through his Senior Special Adviser, the former Sole Administrator is reported to have challenged the authority of the Rivers State House of Assembly to probe his financial conduct. He allegedly insisted that he was only answerable to the President and the National Assembly, a position the petitioners believe underscores the need for an independent federal investigation.
Based on these allegations, the law firm has called upon the ICPC to urgently launch a comprehensive probe. The demands include a full forensic investigation into the expenditure of the N283.3 billion in state and local government allocations during Ibas’s term. The petition also urges the commission to determine if any acts of corruption, misuse of public funds, or financial recklessness occurred, and if so, to ensure the former administrator is held accountable.
The firm expressed confidence in the ICPC’s mandate to combat corruption and hopes the commission will give the matter immediate attention. At the heart of the petition is a demand for accountability for a significant period of Rivers State’s governance, where large sums of public money were managed without the usual oversight mechanisms of an elected government.
Background on Vice Admiral Ibas and the Rivers State Administration
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd) is a former Chief of Naval Staff of Nigeria, who served in that capacity from 2015 to 2021. His appointment as Sole Administrator of Rivers State in March 2025 was a controversial move by the federal government. It came amid a prolonged and intense political crisis in the state that had effectively paralysed its governance structures.
The crisis stemmed from a deep-seated power struggle between factions loyal to the state governor and those aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which had led to a breakdown of law and order. The state House of Assembly became a focal point of the conflict, with proceedings often disrupted by violence. In response to the escalating instability that threatened public safety and economic activity in the strategic oil-producing state, the federal government invoked its executive powers.
The decision to place the state under the temporary administration of a retired military officer was framed as an emergency measure to restore order, ensure the continuity of government functions, and manage public funds until democratic institutions could be stabilised. Ibas, with his senior military background, was seen as a figure who could impose authority and neutrality. His six-month tenure was intended as a cooling-off period to pave the way for a return to elected civilian governance, which resumed in September 2025. This petition now casts a spotlight on the financial management of that unique interim administration.
Discussion about this post