Rivers State, a key political and economic hub in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, has once again become the epicenter of unrest as police forces fired teargas to disperse protesters in a dramatic confrontation on March 15, 2025. This latest development, captured in viral video footage circulating online, has intensified the ongoing political crisis in the state, pitting supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against those loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As of March 16, 2025, the situation remains volatile, with the potential for further escalation looming large over the oil-rich region.
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The Incident: Teargas and Protests
The protests erupted in Port Harcourt, the state capital, amid heightened tensions over the political rivalry between Fubara and Wike. Video evidence shows police operatives deploying teargas canisters to scatter a crowd of demonstrators, some of whom were reportedly chanting slogans and waving placards. The chaotic scenes depict clouds of teargas engulfing the area, with protesters fleeing in various directions to escape the stinging fumes. The exact trigger for this specific protest remains unclear, but it is widely believed to be linked to the broader power struggle that has gripped Rivers State for over a year.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the police action was swift and aggressive, aimed at preventing the protesters from advancing toward key government buildings or staging a prolonged demonstration. The use of teargas, a common crowd-control measure, underscores the authorities’ determination to maintain order amid growing public discontent. However, the heavy-handed response has sparked outrage among some residents, who accuse the police of targeting peaceful demonstrators and exacerbating the state’s already fragile political climate.
Context of the Rivers State Crisis
The unrest in Rivers State is rooted in the bitter fallout between Governor Fubara and his political godfather, Nyesom Wike. Wike, who governed the state from 2015 to 2023, handpicked Fubara as his successor, securing his victory in the 2023 gubernatorial election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, the relationship soured shortly after Fubara’s inauguration, as he sought to assert his independence and distance himself from Wike’s influence. This power struggle has since fractured the state’s political landscape, with Wike retaining significant control over the state’s legislative and grassroots structures.
The crisis has been marked by several flashpoints, including the defection of 27 pro-Wike lawmakers from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in late 2023, a move that sparked legal battles and divided the Rivers State House of Assembly. Supreme Court rulings in early 2025 further complicated the situation, mandating Fubara to re-present the 2025 budget to the Wike-aligned assembly led by Martin Amaewhule and ordering the reconduct of local government elections. These decisions have strengthened Wike’s faction, leaving Fubara’s administration struggling to maintain control.
The political standoff has spilled into the streets on multiple occasions, with protests and counter-protests reflecting the deep divisions among the state’s residents. The latest incident involving teargas is not an isolated event; previous clashes, such as the October 2023 confrontation where police fired teargas and water cannons at Fubara himself, demonstrate the recurring use of force to manage dissent. The ongoing crisis has also disrupted governance, with federal allocations to the state halted due to the assembly’s indefinite recess, further fueling public frustration.
Wike’s Influence and Fubara’s Challenges
Nyesom Wike’s influence over Rivers State remains a central factor in the current unrest. Speaking at a reception hosted by the Kalabari people in Abalama, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, on March 15, 2025, Wike taunted Fubara, claiming that the governor was “already down 2-0” due to the Supreme Court rulings and predicting further setbacks. Wike accused Fubara of surrounding himself with advisors who prioritize personal ambition over the state’s welfare, asserting that such leadership would prevent Fubara from succeeding as governor.
Fubara, on the other hand, has faced significant challenges in consolidating his authority. His attempts to assert control over the state’s political machinery have been met with resistance from Wike’s loyalists, who dominate the assembly and key local government positions. The governor’s administration has emphasized a commitment to peace and development, but the ongoing crisis has hindered progress on critical initiatives, leaving many residents disillusioned with the state’s leadership.
Reactions and Implications
The police deployment of teargas has elicited a range of reactions from stakeholders across Rivers State and beyond. Supporters of Fubara have condemned the action as an assault on democratic rights, arguing that peaceful protests are a legitimate means of expressing grievances in a democratic society. They accuse the police, perceived as aligned with Wike’s APC-backed faction, of bias and excessive use of force against Fubara’s supporters.
Conversely, Wike’s allies have defended the police action, asserting that it was necessary to maintain law and order in the face of potential violence. They argue that protests in Rivers State have often been exploited by political factions to destabilize the state, pointing to past incidents of vandalism and clashes as justification for a firm response.
The broader implications of this incident are significant for Rivers State, a region critical to Nigeria’s oil economy. The ongoing political instability threatens to undermine economic development, disrupt oil production, and exacerbate ethnic tensions among the state’s diverse communities. Wike’s controversial remarks questioning Fubara’s Ijaw heritage have already raised concerns about ethnic polarization, and the use of teargas against protesters could further inflame these divisions.
National and Regional Context
The Rivers State crisis has not occurred in isolation but reflects broader challenges facing Nigeria’s political system. The use of police force to manage protests is a recurring theme across the country, as seen in previous incidents such as the #EndSARS protests in 2020 and the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in 2024. These events have highlighted tensions between citizens’ rights to protest and the authorities’ mandate to maintain public order, often resulting in accusations of excessive force and human rights violations.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has faced criticism for its handling of the Rivers crisis, particularly after a peace agreement brokered in late 2023 failed to resolve the conflict. The federal government’s perceived alignment with Wike, a key political ally of Tinubu, has fueled allegations of partisanship, further complicating efforts to mediate the dispute. The involvement of the APC, which controls the federal government, adds a national dimension to the crisis, with implications for the party’s influence in the oil-rich South-South region ahead of the 2027 elections.
What Lies Ahead
As of March 16, 2025, the situation in Rivers State remains fluid, with the potential for further protests and police responses. The indefinite recess of the Amaewhule-led assembly, declared on March 14, 2025, has stalled the budget presentation process, leaving the state in a financial limbo. This deadlock could prompt additional demonstrations, as residents demand accountability and progress on governance issues.
For Governor Fubara, restoring stability will require navigating a complex web of legislative opposition, judicial oversight, and grassroots discontent. His administration may seek to rally public support through development initiatives or legal challenges to Wike’s influence, though such efforts will face significant hurdles. Meanwhile, Wike’s faction appears poised to maintain pressure on Fubara, potentially through further legislative maneuvers or calls for his impeachment.
The police, as a key player in managing the unrest, will likely remain under scrutiny for their actions. Calls for investigations into the use of teargas and allegations of bias could intensify, particularly if video evidence continues to circulate widely on social media platforms like X. The federal government may also face pressure to intervene more decisively, though any action risks being perceived as partisan given Wike’s prominent role in the Tinubu administration.
Conclusion
The firing of teargas by police to disperse protesters in Rivers State on March 15, 2025, marks a significant escalation in the state’s ongoing political crisis. Rooted in the rivalry between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the unrest reflects deep-seated tensions over power, governance, and resource control in one of Nigeria’s most strategically important states. As the situation evolves, the actions of political leaders, security forces, and the federal government will play a critical role in determining whether Rivers State can move toward stability or descend further into turmoil. For now, the people of Rivers State remain caught in the crossfire of a bitter political struggle, with their aspirations for peace and progress hanging in the balance.
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