By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lifted the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State, announcing that normal governance will resume from Thursday, September 18, 2025.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the President declared that peace and stability had been restored to the oil-rich state, paving the way for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to return to their offices.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today,” President Tinubu stated.
“The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025.”
The decision signals an end to months of political crisis that had gripped Rivers State, disrupting governance and sparking fears of instability in one of Nigeria’s most economically strategic regions.
With the lifting of the emergency, attention is now expected to turn towards reconciliation among political actors in the state, as well as the restoration of routine governance for millions of residents.
