Retired Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has been appointed the military administrator of Rivers State following the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
Born on 27 September 1960, Mr Ibas hails from Nko in Cross River and served as Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 until his retirement in 2021.
His educational journey began at Nko Primary School in 1966 and concluded at Big Qua Primary School in Calabar in 1971. He then attended Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar from 1972 to 1976. In 1977, he moved on to the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja, before entering the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979, where he served in various capacities and advanced through the ranks to become Chief of Naval Staff.
Throughout his military career, Mr Ibas participated in numerous local and international military courses, including the Amphibious Warfare School at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Virginia in 1992 and the National Defence College in Islamabad, Pakistan. He earned a master’s degree in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
At 64, Mr Ibas has received multiple awards for his service, including the ECOMOG Medal and the Forces Service Star. He was honoured with the title of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Ibas assumes leadership of Rivers State during a time of turmoil, following Mr Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich region, amidst ongoing tensions between Sim Fubara and former Governor Nyesom Wike, an ally of the president.
