On the 19th of March, 2025, President Bola Tinubu, at the State House Abuja, swore in retired Chief of Naval Staff Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State.
The 64-year-old retired CNS’s swearing-in followed lingering hostilities between Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara and the State House of Assembly members loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, an ally of the president.
But how well do you know the new Rivers State military administrator?
Here are some very important information about the 64-year-old.
Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas was born on September 27, 1960, in Nko in Cross River and was Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Naval Staff between 2015 and 2021, having served in the Nigerian Navy from 1979-2021.
He began his primary education at Nko Primary School in 1966 and concluded at Big Qua Primary School, Calabar 1971. Between 1972 and 1976, he attended Hope Waddell Training Institute Calabar.
In 1977, he attended the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja, before proceeding to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979. In 1983, he was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in the Nigerian Navy.
In the NDA, he served in different capacities and became the Chief of Naval Staff, appointed by immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari.
During his service, he attended several local and international military courses, including Amphibious Warfare School of the U.S. Marine Corps University in Virginia in 1992 and National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Ibas got a master’s in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
He also has several awards to his name while in service, including the ECOMOG Medal and Forces Service Star.
He was conferred with Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Upon his retirement from service, Vice-admiral Ibas was appointed by President Buhari as the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, where he served between 2021 and 2023.
