Barely a day after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, oil and gas-producing communities in the Niger Delta have raised the alarm, warning that the move could spark a dangerous escalation into guerrilla warfare.
The communities fear that the recent bombing of the Trans-Niger oil pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Ogoni, may be a direct consequence of growing tensions among ex-militants. Some of these former agitators, reportedly sidelined in lucrative pipeline surveillance contracts, are suspected of using sabotage to make their grievances known.
Speaking exclusively to Vanguard on Wednesday, Joseph Ambakaderimo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Community Development Committees (CDC) of Niger Delta Oil and Gas-Producing Areas, cautioned that the political turmoil in Rivers State could morph into a full-blown economic disaster if not handled with care.
“The state of emergency is an overreach,” Ambakaderimo argued. “If mishandled, it could plunge the region into guerrilla warfare—something Nigeria is absolutely unprepared for.”
He pointed to concerns that some ex-militants, feeling excluded from key security contracts, might have resorted to attacking critical infrastructure as a form of protest. “The federal government must urgently revisit these contracts to ensure inclusivity and fairness. Reports suggest that only two out of six LNG production trains are currently operational, leading to a gas supply shortfall. If crude oil production follows the same pattern, the economic fallout will be catastrophic,” he warned.
Amid the emergency declaration, Ambakaderimo urged Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to explore dialogue with President Tinubu through respected statesmen to seek a reversal of the decision. He also condemned the 27 lawmakers attempting to impeach the governor, accusing them of ignoring a Supreme Court ruling in favor of their political patron, Nyesom Wike.
“Governor Fubara is the only one respecting the court’s decision, even at great personal risk,” he said. “Yet, these lawmakers have blatantly disregarded the judgment, pushing a separate agenda to oust him. They even refused to accept the state budget from him.”
Ambakaderimo stressed that enforcing a state of emergency could deepen the crisis, leading to a nosedive in daily crude oil production—an outcome that would spell disaster for Nigeria’s economy.
He urged President Tinubu to reconsider the emergency declaration, arguing that walking it back would align with the administration’s broader goals of peace and economic stability.
“Reversing this decision would show true leadership,” he concluded. “Otherwise, the government might just be shooting itself in the foot.”
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