Rivers State Governor Denies Shutting Down Oil Operations

The Rivers State Government has refuted a viral social media post claiming that Governor Siminalayi Fubara ordered the closure of oil operations in the state. The post falsely alleged that the governor shut down the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other oil companies in Rivers State following a recent court ruling.

The widely circulated post suggested that Fubara’s supposed action was in protest against the federal government withholding funds from Rivers State, further alleging that this decision caused Nigeria to plummet in global oil production rankings. “Within minutes of the shutdown, Nigeria dropped in the global oil production ranking from 4th to 24th,” the post claimed, also stating that Fubara challenged Minister Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu to “see Nigeria boil.”

The Rivers State Government, however, quickly addressed the rumors. In an official statement on Thursday, Joseph Johnson, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, categorically denied the claims. Johnson dismissed the post as “false and concocted propaganda,” asserting that the story was fabricated by individuals aiming to mislead the public and damage the governor’s reputation.

“The attention of Rivers State Government has been drawn to a spurious news item circulating on social media on ‘Gov. Siminalayi Fubara shutting down NNPCL and all oil companies in Rivers State,’” Johnson said in the statement. “The report was not only false but concocted propaganda from the imagination of the author and enemies of the State.”

Johnson emphasized that Governor Fubara remains committed to lawful governance and would never use “unconventional and crude approaches” to address state matters. He urged the public to ignore the misinformation, adding, “Governor Siminalayi Fubara is committed to the rule of law and does not rely on unconventional and crude approaches to respond to matters of governance. We, therefore, enjoin Rivers people and well-meaning Nigerians to discountenance the spurious and fake report.”

The social media rumor surfaced shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled to withhold financial allocations to the Rivers State Government. On Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria from releasing funds to the state until the Rivers State House of Assembly passes a lawful budget. The court’s decision was based on a suit filed by the House of Assembly led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, which questioned the legality of disbursing funds without an approved budget in place.

Following the court ruling, the Rivers State Government announced its intent to appeal, expressing optimism that the judgment would be overturned.

In the meantime, the state government has advised the public to rely on credible information sources, emphasizing Governor Fubara’s dedication to stable governance.