WATCH THE VIDEO HERE The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), has been accused of evading service of court documents in a legal suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Rivsbridge Peace Initiative. The case, filed under Suit No: FHC/PH/43/CS/2025, involves significant claims regarding the release and appropriation of state funds without proper constitutional compliance. On April 4, 2025, Justice M.T. Muhammed, sitting at Court 5 of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, granted a motion ex parte for substituted service of the originating process and all other related court documents in the suit. The ruling allowed for the service of court processes to President Bola Tinubu through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation. Additionally, service to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibas, was ordered to be carried out via DHL delivery to the Government House in Port Harcourt. However, the DHL tracking report revealed that the delivery was not accepted because the recipient, Vice Admiral Ibas, was not recognized at the address. The DHL shipment receipt confirmed that the address and names were correctly listed, raising concerns that the Sole Administrator may be deliberately evading service of the originating summons and the order for substituted service issued by the court. The case was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Rivsbridge Peace Initiative, challenging the release and appropriation of Rivers State funds in violation of Sections 120 and 121 of the Nigerian Constitution, and in the context of a recent Supreme Court ruling in the case of Rivers State House of Assembly v. Government of Rivers State. Defendants in the case include President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Vice Admiral Ibas, who is named as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. The suit calls into question the legality of the appropriation and release of funds without adhering to constitutional provisions, highlighting concerns over accountability and transparency in the handling of state resources. The matter has been adjourned for a full hearing on May 12, 2025.
Court Orders Alternative Service After Rivers Sole Administrator Allegedly Evades Legal Challenge To Fund Appropriation
