Rivers Governor Denies Shutting Down Oil Operations

The Rivers State Government has officially refuted claims circulating on social media that Governor Siminalayi Fubara ordered the shutdown of oil operations in the state.

The viral post alleged that the governor directed the closure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other oil companies in response to a recent court ruling.

The misleading post, which gained traction online, read: “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 claimed that Nigeria's global oil production ranking plummeted from fourth to twenty-fourth due to this alleged shutdown, and challenged prominent political figures, including Minister Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, to take action.

This misinformation emerged shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling that prevents the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing financial allocations to Rivers State until a lawful appropriation act is passed by a validly constituted House of Assembly.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the verdict on Wednesday, which has since been appealed by state officials.

In a statement released on Thursday, Joseph Johnson, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, labeled the claims as "false" and "concocted propaganda."

He emphasized that Governor Fubara is committed to upholding the rule of law and does not resort to unconventional methods in governance.

Johnson urged the public to disregard the fabricated report, asserting that at no point did Governor Fubara consider shutting down oil operations in the state.