The Rivers State government has dismissed as false the circulating claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has ordered the shutdown of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other oil companies operating in the state. This clarification follows a social media report alleging that Fubara had issued such a directive.
In a statement issued by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, the state government labeled the report as “false” and a form of “concocted propaganda” with no basis in fact. The statement called on Rivers residents to ignore the misleading claim, emphasizing that Governor Fubara has not made any such decision.
“The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a spurious news item circulating on social media regarding ‘Gov. Siminalayi Fubara shutting down NNPCL and all oil companies in Rivers State,’” the statement reads. “The report is false, a product of the imagination of the author and detractors of the state.”
The government reaffirmed Governor Fubara’s commitment to lawful governance, distancing him from any “unconventional and crude approaches” to addressing state issues. The statement urged the public to disregard the rumor and assured that there was no directive to shut down any part of the oil sector.
Governor Fubara’s administration remains focused on advancing the state’s economy through lawful and transparent governance practices, rejecting any misinformation that seeks to disrupt public order.
