Tension gripped Port Harcourt on March 06, 2025, as the Niger Delta Rescue Movement (NDRM), a feared militant group, issued a chilling ultimatum: release Rivers State’s federal allocation or face a total halt in Nigeria’s oil production. In a viral video, eight AK-47-wielding militants, cloaked in an unknown forest, chanted “asawana, asawana”—an Ijaw war cry—while warning non-indigenes to flee for their safety as hostilities loom. “We won’t sit idly by,” their leader declared, accusing the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly of destabilizing Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
The spark? A Supreme Court ruling last Friday upheld a lower court’s decision to freeze Rivers’ allocation until Amaewhule’s faction is recognized as the legitimate Assembly. On Monday, Amaewhule issued a 48-hour ultimatum—expired Wednesday midnight—for Fubara to present the 2025 budget. Wednesday brought more heat: the House ordered Fubara to sack all commissioners and appointees for rescreening. The NDRM sees this as a “coordinated effort to incite hell,” potentially triggering a state of emergency or impeachment. They’ve called out President Bola Tinubu to rein in FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, alleging he’s pulling strings to plunge Rivers into chaos.
“We generate money for the Federation Account—our workers deserve salaries, our government needs resources,” the militants raged, vowing “decisive action” against oil facilities if funds aren’t released. This isn’t bluster—Rivers’ oil fields are Nigeria’s economic lifeblood, and any disruption could tank the nation’s finances. Their non-indigene evacuation order has X ablaze: “This is war talk,” one user posted, while another begged, “Tinubu, act fast!”
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) upped the stakes, labeling acts against Fubara—like Assembly burnings and security withdrawals—“treasonable felony” under Nigeria’s Criminal Code. Legal Manager Gimba Hassan slammed the 48-hour ultimatum as unlawful, citing precedents requiring seven days’ notice. “The Supreme Court’s stalled governance, and the Assembly’s 12-week recess is pouring fuel on the fire,” he said, urging dialogue over division.
Fubara’s camp denies receiving Amaewhule’s letter, while pro-Fubara voices—like Jackrich—distance themselves from the militants. Yet the NDRM’s threats echo Ijaw groups’ earlier warnings: mess with Fubara, and the Niger Delta burns. X users are split—some see a Wike-orchestrated power grab, others a governor outmatched. “Rivers isn’t a pawn in Abuja’s game,” one tweeted; another countered, “Fubara’s defiance invited this.”
As of March 07, 2025, 10:01 AM GMT, the standoff teeters on a knife-edge. The NDRM’s forest manifesto demands respect and progress, but their rifles signal chaos if ignored. Tinubu faces a test: defuse this powder keg or watch oil markets—and Rivers—explode. “Enough is enough,” the militants warned. On X, the plea is universal: resolve this, or Nigeria pays. With governance paralyzed and guns drawn, Rivers isn’t just a state—it’s a ticking time bomb.
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