The Rivers State Government has refuted a viral social media post alleging that Governor Siminalayi Fubara ordered the shutdown of oil operations across the state.
The post, widely circulated online, claimed that Governor Fubara directed the closure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other oil companies in Rivers State following a recent court ruling. The message stated: “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria.” It further suggested that this alleged shutdown had caused Nigeria to drop in global oil production rankings and included inflammatory remarks challenging Minister Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu.
On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria from disbursing funds to the Rivers State government. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, presiding over the case, ruled that allocations from the federation account should be withheld until a lawful budget is passed by a duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly. This case was filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule. The Rivers State Government has appealed the ruling, expressing confidence in a favorable outcome at the Appeal Court.
In response to the social media claims, Commissioner for Information and Communications Joseph Johnson dismissed the report as “false and concocted propaganda.” Johnson clarified in a statement on Thursday that the governor remains committed to legal protocols and would not adopt “unconventional and crude” methods in governance.
“The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a spurious news item circulating on social media, claiming ‘Gov. Siminalayi Fubara shutting down NNPCL and all oil companies in Rivers State.’ This report is entirely false and stems from the imagination of the author and other enemies of the state,” Johnson stated.
He reiterated Governor Fubara’s commitment to lawful governance and urged the public to disregard unverified information circulating on unofficial platforms.