Who be Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas wey President Tinubu appoint Administrator of Rivers State?

BBC News

18-03-2025

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appoint Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as administrator of Rivers afta im declare a state of emergency for di state.
President Tinubu make di declaration for im nationwide broadcast on Tuesday 18 March.
Di president say im dey disturbed on issues wey dey happun for Rivers State as di wahala neva end and efforts to calm di situation no dey yield any fruit.
President Tinubu bin invoke Section 305 (5) of di 1999 Constitution to make di declaration.
Di president suspend Govnor Siminalayi Fubara and im deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu for six month.
Oga presido also suspend members of di state House of Assembly for di same duration.
Who be Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas?
Dem born Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas on 27 September 1960 na retired Nigerian Navy vice admiral, wey bin be di 22nd Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of di Nigerian Navy from 2015 to 2021.
Na for Nko, Cross River State, South-South Nigeria dem born am and e join di Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of 26 Regular Course on 20 June 1979 and commissioned sub-lieutenant on 1 January 1983.
E attend Nko Primary School, Nko, in 1966 and complete am for Big Qua Primary School, Calabar in 1971. E come proceed to Hope Waddell Training Institute Calabar from 1972 to 1976. Between 1977 and 1979, e attend School of Basic Studies Ogoja before e go di Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979.
Military courses attended and qualifications
Ibas don attend several military courses at home and abroad, including di Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at INS Venduruthy in India from April 1983 to May 1984 and Primary Pilot Training for 301 Primary Flying Training School at Nigerian Airforce Base in Kaduna from April 1986 to October 1987.
E proceed to di Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna in January 1990 and complete di Junior Staff Course in June of di same year. In July 1992, e report at di Amphibious Warfare School of di United States Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia, US, and graduate with a diploma in amphibious warfare in May 1993.
In February 1994, Ibas commence di Officers' Long Course specializing in underwater warfare for di Underwater Warfare School, NNS Quorra and complete am in February 1995.
From August 1996 to July 1997, e return to di prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, wia e complete di Senior Staff Course with excellent grades.
E also be alumnus of di National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan, as e attend di National Defence Course from August 2005 to June 2006.
In addition, e hold a master's degree in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Military Appointments
Ibas don hold many appointments in di Nigerian Navy. As a midshipman, e serve on board NNS Ruwan Yaro, NNS Obuma and NNS Aradu.
E later serve on board NNS Ayam and NNS Ekpe as a watch keeping officer after e bin dey commissioned as sub-lieutenant. E later become di executive officer of NNS Siri, NNS Ekun and NNS Ambe between July 1993 and August 1996 as a lieutenant commander.
E bin be di commanding officer of di Nigerian Navy Underwater Warfare School from August 1997 to September 1998 and dia-after, di commanding officer of di Forward Operating Base Ibaka from September 1998 to June 2000.
Due to im outstanding performance on di Senior Staff Course, dem appoint am as a directing staff at di Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji from June 2000 to June 2002.
E later return to di college in January 2009 as di director of di Department of Maritime Warfare, position e hold until November 2010.
Im last work for di college na as deputy commandant from January to February 2014.
Ibas bin be di naval provost marshal from April 2003 to June 2004 and later di principal staff officer to di then CNS from June 2004 to July 2005.
E also bin be di command operations officer for di Headquarters Western Naval Command, Lagos, from June to December 2006, and from December 2006 to January 2009.
E bin be di commander of di Naval Air Base, Ojo. Di senior officer bin later dey appointed chief staff officer at Headquarters, Naval Training Command, Lagos, from September 2010 to March 2011.
In recognition of im versatility in staff duties and administration, di senior officer come dey appointed to di Naval Headquarters first, as di chief of administration from March 2011 to February 2012 and later as di Navy Secretary from February 2012 to January 2013.
After dat, e become di flag officer commanding Western Naval Command from January 2013 to January 2014.
E come dey appointed chief of logistics in February 2014 and then di GMD/CEO of Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited in December of di same year. Dis na di appointment e hold until im appointment as di 22nd chief of Naval Staff on 13 July 2015.
On 18 March 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu apoijy am to become di Sole administrator of Rivers State, Nigeria following di to announcement of a state of emergency in the state.
E dey married to Theresa Ibas and dem get three children.