Rivers: I wasn’t trained to take orders from military administrator – Ex-Magistrate

An ex-Chief Magistrate in Rivers State, Ejike George, has revealed the reason for his recent resignation from the Rivers State Judiciary, saying he was not trained to take directives from a military administrator.

George stated this on Thursday’s edition of ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television.

“I am simply saying that I cannot take instructions from a military administrator. I cannot,” he said.

reports that President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd) as Rivers State Sole Administrator on March 18, 2025, after he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu; and the Rivers State House of Assembly members.

The president hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.

Recall that Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.

The former Magistrate berated the president’s decision, saying that there was no crisis in Rivers State to have warranted the suspension of Fubara and others as well as the introduction of military-style rule.

“It is not fair to the people of Rivers State. My reason for resignation is simply because I cannot adapt to the military style of adjudication that would be introduced by the reason of the sole administrator.

“As a magistrate, our courts are courts of summary jurisdiction. Our proceedings are not guided by the constitution of this country. That being the case, it means that I would take directives from my employer who is the Chief Judge of Rivers State.

We, in turn, take some level of directive from the governor; that would have been the elected governor who had acted as the chief security officer of the state.

“I am simply saying that I cannot take instructions from a military administrator. I cannot. In the entire 16 years that I served with the Rivers State Judiciary, I have taken instructions from civilian administrators. I do not know how I am going to adapt and now begin to take instructions from a military administrator. I find it very strange,” he stated.

He also faulted the Rivers State Judicial Commission, which claimed that, on the contrary, he was due for voluntary retirement and did not resign.