Military Hold Fubara, Family Members Hostage After Declaration of State Of Emergency

Following the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers state, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his family members were reportedly being held hostage at the Government House, Port Harcourt by heavily armed soldiers Tuesday night, THE BEAGLES NEWS authouritatively gathered.

THE BEAGLE NEWS reports that they were held hostage shortly after President Bola Tinubu invoked Section 180 of the Nigerian Constitution to proclaim a state of emergency in Rivers.

Tinubu based his moves following a prolonged and rapidly escalating political feud led by state lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, who commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara last week to settle scores in his fallout with Wike.

Sources close to Rivers government hinted that soldiers, carrying out the President’s instructions on declaring the state of emergency, barricaded all entrances and exits to the government house immediately after the President’s speech.

According to the sources, attempts by Fubara and his family to pack their belongings out of the Government House were rebuffed by the soldiers, who suppressed all movements around the premises.

The source said: “We are being held hostage. “They said they don’t have instruction to let anyone leave the premises.”

Tinubu’s declaration to suspend the feuding parties from office for six months, effective Tuesday, sparked furious debates across media space as citizens argued whether the president had constitutional grounds to suspend an elected governor whom the state lawmakers have not yet impeached.

 Efforts to impeach Fubara began on Monday, barely 24 hours before Mr Tinubu imposed an emergency ordinance.

The President named the retired chief of naval staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as the military administrator in Rivers in the interim.