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Ibas: 18 things to know about Rivers administrator

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Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.)

Ibas: 18 things to know about Rivers administrator

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as the administrator for Rivers State.

Ibas was named after Tinubu announced the suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, for six months.

Until his appointment, he was the 22nd Chief of the Naval Staff, a position he held until 2021.

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Below are 18 things to know about the new Rivers state administrator:

  1. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (CFR, psc+ GSS AM ndc MSc) was born on September 27, 1960, in Nko, Cross River State, Nigeria.
  2. He enlisted in the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of the 26 Regular Course on June 20, 1979, and was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on January 1, 1983.
  3. Ibas completed his primary education at Nko Primary School and Big Qua Primary School in Calabar in 1971.
  4. He attended the Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar from 1972 to 1976, followed by the School of Basic Studies in Ogoja from 1977 to 1979.
  5. He continued his schooling at the Nigerian Defence Academy and then earned a master’s degree in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan.
  6. He completed the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at INS Venduruthy, India, from 1983 to 1984, and Primary Pilot Training at the 301 Primary Flying Training School, Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, from 1986 to 1987.
  7. In 1990, he completed the Junior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji.
  8. He then went on to the Amphibious Warfare Course at the United States Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia, in 1992.
  9. He also specialised in underwater warfare at NNS Quorra in 1994 and completed the Senior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji in 1997.
  10. He also took the National Defence Course at the National Defence College.
  11. He served as the executive officer of NNS Siri, NNS Ekun, and NNS Ambe from 1993 to 1996.
  12. He was also the commanding officer of the Nigerian Navy Underwater Warfare School from 1997 to 1998 and then the Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, from 1998 to 2000.
  13. His service positions included directing staff at the Armed Forces Command and Service College in Jaji from 2000 to 2002, followed by deputy commandant in 2014.
  14. He was the navy provost marshal from 2003 to 2004, and from 2004 to 2005, he was the Chief of Navy Staff’s primary staff officer.
  15. He served as commander of the Naval Air Base in Ojo from 2006 to 2009 and then as chief staff officer at the Naval Training Command in Lagos from 2010 to 2011.
  16. He also served as the Chief of Administration at Naval Headquarters (2011-2012), Navy Secretary (2012-2013), and Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command (2013-2014). In 2014, he was named chief of logistics and later GMD/CEO of Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited.
  17. On July 13, 2015, Ibas was named the 22nd Chief of the Naval Staff, a position he held until 2021. After retiring from the Navy, he remained a prominent player in national security and maritime issues.
  18. Following the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu named Vice Admiral Ibas as the state’s sole administrator on March 18, 2025. His responsibilities include monitoring government and restoring state order in the face of political upheaval.

Ibas: 18 things to know about Rivers administrator

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NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

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NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a woman identified as Aisha Isah after allegedly recovering 266 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition from her along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

 

The suspect was reportedly arrested at a toll gate during a patrol operation by NDLEA operatives along the busy highway.

 

The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

 

According to the statement, the ammunition recovered from the woman consisted of 266 live rounds meant for an AK-47 rifle.

 

However, the NDLEA did not disclose where the suspect was travelling from, her intended destination or the circumstances surrounding the possession and transportation of the ammunition.

 

The arrest comes amid intensified security operations across the country, particularly along major highways and other routes suspected to be used for the movement of illicit substances and other prohibited items.

 

In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 68-year-old man, identified as Ifeanyi Egwolonwu, at Gwargwaje in Zaria, Kaduna State, along the Zaria-Kano Expressway.

 

The suspect was allegedly found with 2,770 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 100 ampoules of diazepam injection, 11,000 tablets of diazepam and 4,500 tablets of Exol-5.

 

The agency also reported several arrests and major drug seizures in different parts of the country as part of its ongoing operations against drug trafficking and related criminal activities.

 

The NDLEA has yet to provide further details about the investigation into the alleged ammunition possession by Aisha Isah.

 

NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

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How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

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Kwara Police Deny Shooting Motorcyclist at Oyun Bridge, Explain Viral Video

How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

 

Suspected bandits have reportedly ambushed and brutalised six members of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Bani community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

 

The attack occurred as the operatives were returning from a meeting in Kaiama town, shortly before reaching Bani community.

 

The chairman of the private security organisation, Isiak Olayiwola, disclosed details of the incident, describing the attack as heartbreaking and a disturbing development for community-based security efforts in the state.

 

According to Olayiwola, the six operatives were travelling back to Bani when between 30 and 40 motorcycles carrying armed men suddenly emerged and launched an attack on them.

 

He said the attackers were heavily armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, adding that the security operatives had only two firearms among them for personal protection.

 

Olayiwola explained that his men were not on a mission to confront any armed group but were simply returning from their meeting when they were ambushed.

 

He said, “They were returning from a meeting in Kaiama town to Bani when they were ambushed on their way back.”

 

The security chief added that the attackers opened fire on the operatives shortly before they entered the community.

 

He expressed gratitude that none of the six members was killed during the attack, attributing their survival to divine intervention.

 

A video of the incident, which surfaced on October 26, showed the captured operatives sitting on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs while armed men interrogated them.

 

In the footage, the captors repeatedly questioned the victims about their membership of the Iru Ekun Security Network and their activities in Bani community.

 

One of the armed men was heard challenging the operatives over what he described as their refusal to heed earlier warnings against associating with the security organisation or accommodating its members in the community.

 

One of the captives, identified as Jelili Alagbere, who was wearing an Iru Ekun-branded shirt, was questioned about his involvement in the organisation.

 

Another captive, Yusuf Alagbere, reportedly identified himself as a hunter, explaining that he had been invited by some individuals known as the Elere boys.

 

A third captive, identified as Rafiu, was also questioned about his identity and connection with the security outfit.

 

An elderly man among the captives, however, denied belonging to the organisation, insisting that he was not an Iru Ekun member.

 

Towards the end of the recording, the armed men reportedly asked the captives whether they would continue participating in the organisation’s activities. The victims were heard responding in the negative.

 

Olayiwola subsequently identified one of the suspected attackers as Sardauna, alleging that he was among those who participated in the shooting and personally recorded the interrogation.

 

He claimed that Sardauna was holding the phone and conducting the questioning while also opening fire on the security operatives.

 

The chairman said the video eventually found its way to the security organisation, although the person who recorded it was allegedly unaware that it would reach them.

 

Meanwhile, Olayiwola commended the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for his efforts towards securing the rescue of the six operatives.

 

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the security situation in parts of Kwara State, particularly the dangers confronting local security groups involved in protecting vulnerable communities against armed attacks and kidnapping.

 

The development also highlights the growing risks faced by community-based security operatives operating in areas where heavily armed criminal groups reportedly maintain a presence.

 

How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

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‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

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Two Grandfathers Among Five Arrested Over Alleged Motorcycle Theft Syndicate in Calabar

‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

The body of a 14-year-old boy, identified simply as Ogar, has been discovered without his head in a river at Yahe community in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The tragic discovery followed the teenager’s disappearance from home, leaving his family and residents of the community in shock.

According to a report by Vanguard, Ogar was last seen on Friday afternoon after returning from school. He reportedly left home shortly after having his meal but failed to return.

His mother, Agnes, said the family became worried when they could not find him and subsequently organised a search.

However, their search ended in tragedy on Saturday afternoon when the boy’s body was discovered in the Yahe River, about one kilometre from the community.

The grieving mother, who reportedly lost her husband three years ago, lamented that her son was her only source of hope.

“I don’t know who did this wicked act to me — my only source of hope after his father died three years ago. His body without the head was found at the river,” she said.

Agnes expressed confusion over how her son ended up in the river, explaining that the water was usually dirty and brownish at this time of the year and was not commonly used for swimming or washing clothes.

She also said she could not establish whether someone had taken the teenager to the river or how he got there.

A classmate of the deceased, identified as Jacob, reportedly said Ogar did not inform him or their other friends that he intended to go anywhere with anybody.

He added that he only learnt about the tragedy after news emerged that the teenager’s body had been discovered.

Meanwhile, a source at the Yahe Police Station confirmed that the incident was being investigated.

The police source, however, declined to provide further details, explaining that the Divisional Police Officer was away in Calabar.

“I can tell you we are investigating the matter,” the source said.

The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death, including the whereabouts of his missing head and the identity of those responsible, remain unclear.

Residents are awaiting further details from the police as investigations continue.

‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

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