The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has invited Mudiaga Ogboru, the national spokesperson of the Niger Delta Congress (NDC), over his calls for protests in Rivers State following the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement dated March 23 and signed by Ogboru, the NDC criticized Tinubu’s decision, describing it as an “indirect and undemocratic rule.” The group urged Rivers residents to stage peaceful protests, demanding the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the elected state assembly.
“We demand that President Tinubu immediately reverse this decision, reinstate Governor Fubara and the elected assembly, and commit to dialogue over diktat. To this end, we call on our people to take to the streets in a peaceful protest against indirect and undemocratic rule in Rivers State,” the statement read.
Following the release of the statement, the Lagos police command issued a letter summoning Ogboru to appear at the State Intelligence Department (SID) in Ikeja on March 25, 2025, for what it described as a “fact-finding” session.
Speaking with TheCable on Wednesday, Ogboru said he later received another police invitation via phone from the Rivers State police command. He added that he had informed the Lagos police command of his intention to honour the invitation in Rivers instead.
Additionally, Ogboru revealed that Nubari Saatah, the NDC’s national president who resides in Rivers State, had been arrested and detained by operatives of the Rivers police command.
When contacted, Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers police command, denied any arrests related to the NDC’s statement. “We will find out (about Saatah’s arrest) and get back to you,” Iringe-Koko said, adding that Ogboru had yet to honour the police invitation.
On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the ongoing political crisis. The decision led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In their place, Tinubu appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as the sole administrator of the state. The emergency rule was swiftly approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives within 48 hours—a move that has sparked widespread condemnation from political stakeholders and civil society groups.
