RIVERS IN CRISIS: Admiral Ibok Squandered Fubara’s Legacy, Abandoned Projects – Chief Sara-Igbe Explodes

Prominent Niger Delta elder statesman, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has launched a scathing attack on Retired Naval Admiral Ibok, accusing him of gross mismanagement and betrayal of public trust during his tenure as emergency administrator of Rivers State.

In a fiery interview on SYMFONI TV, Chief Sara-Igbe alleged that Admiral Ibok inherited substantial financial reserves prudently saved by Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the state’s rainy days, yet refused to deploy the resources for the good of Rivers people.

> “On the ground, he met resources carefully saved by Governor Fubara for critical needs, but he blatantly refused to pay contractors. All contract works were abandoned, and road construction came to a halt,” Sara-Igbe declared.

The Niger Delta elder lamented that Ibok’s refusal to release funds to contractors triggered a chain of economic stagnation, leaving several communities stranded. According to him, key road projects and infrastructure works were abandoned midway, causing hardship for citizens, frustrating contractors, and crippling local businesses dependent on government projects.

Chief Sara-Igbe insisted that Ibok’s handling of state resources during the six months of emergency rule reflected a blatant disregard for accountability and the welfare of Rivers people. He argued that instead of sustaining the state’s development momentum, the administrator allowed the people to bear the brunt of stalled progress.

> “The resources that could have transformed Rivers State were left to lie idle, while the people suffered untold hardship. The state paid a heavy price for this failure of leadership,” he fumed.

Sara-Igbe’s remarks have rekindled debate over the controversial period of emergency administration in Rivers State, raising serious questions about financial management, transparency, and the fate of abandoned projects that still dot the state’s landscape.