AGF Fagbemi: Governor Fubara Tele-Guided Militants to Destroy Oil Pipelines
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Wednesday, accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of tele-guiding militants to blow up pipelines in the state.
Fagbemi made the allegation while justifying President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State due to the ongoing political crisis. He claimed that if the governor was not directly responsible, he failed to act to prevent the militants’ attacks on critical national infrastructure.
He said: “We are in a democracy, so when the governor telegraphed the militants by saying he would notify them when it was time to act, it was wrong. Did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. A week later, they vandalized oil pipelines.”
Fagbemi stressed that damaging pipelines, which are vital to Nigeria’s economy, is an act of treason, calling those responsible enemies of both Rivers State and the nation.
He pointed to a Supreme Court ruling as the basis for President Tinubu’s decision to impose the state of emergency to protect the state’s critical infrastructure. The AGF added that the suspension of the governor and members of the state House of Assembly was necessary as they had failed to maintain a stable environment for governance.
Responding to critics of the president’s actions, Fagbemi noted that the people of Rivers State were living in fear, with many suffering or dying due to the ongoing crisis. He asserted that the suspension was justified by the extraordinary nature of the situation.
Fagbemi also addressed the ongoing debate over the legality of declaring a state of emergency, stating that each case was unique, and the circumstances in Rivers were different. He added that it was now up to the National Assembly to either ratify or reject the president’s decision.
The AGF concluded by stating that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers serves as a warning to other states, signaling that the government would take stronger measures if necessary.
