The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd), assumed duties on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, pledging to foster lasting peace in the state.
Ibas arrived at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, at about 11:30 a.m. aboard a Naval 5N-ARA Bombardier aircraft.
Upon arrival, he inspected a quarter guard mounted in his honor by the military.
He then proceeded to the Government House, where he held a brief meeting with some staff at the Executive Chamber before engaging in a closed-door session with the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Permanent Secretaries, and Heads of security agencies.
The meeting was also attended by Ojukaye Flag Amachree, Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Following the discussions, Ibas praised residents for maintaining peace and assured that his administration would take all necessary steps to sustain stability in the state.
He said: “Thank you for what you’ve been doing so far. You all know that I just got in here and decided to meet with the Head of service and and the permanent secretaries and the service commanders.
“I’m going to meet with them to get formal briefings from all those I met this afternoon.
“And then, I believe it is only proper for me thereafter to have something to say to you all and I assure that perhaps later this evening I’ll be in the right position to address you and then address the issues that you may want to raise now.
“Port Harcourt is my city and everything appears calm and though, I know that this situation is there but we just want Port Harcourt to get back to what it has always been.”
Ibas was accompanied by security heads such as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, and the Commander of 115 Special Operations Group, Nigerian Air Force. Nation