FACT-CHECK: No, There Were No Riots in Rivers State or Attacks on Wike’s Residence in March 2025

BY: Mustapha Lawal

Claim:
Riots erupted in Rivers State, and Wike’s residence was attacked.

Verdict:
False. The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed the claims as unfounded, confirming that no such incidents occurred and that peace reigns in Rivers State.

Full text:
Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State due to a political power tussle, several social media posts claimed that violent riots erupted, with angry youths setting fire to the residence of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and barring him from returning to the state.

One of such  claim reads:“Breaking News: Riots Erupt in Rivers State as Angry Youths Set Wike’s House on Fire, Burn Vehicles, and Ban Him from Returning.” This claim has been replicated across numerous Facebook pages here, here, here, here, here, here and here, fueling public anxiety.

This emerged amid a highly publicized political crisis between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. In response to escalating tensions, President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in March 2025, suspending both the governor and his deputy and installing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as interim sole administrator of the state.

This politically charged atmosphere provided fertile ground for false narratives, including viral Facebook posts alleging violent uprisings and the burning of Wike’s house.

Verification

FactCheckAfrica found a statement from the Rivers State Police Command, reported by several reputable media outlets:

“There is no record of any such incident, and normalcy prevails across the state. The general public is urged to disregard these unfounded claims, which are clearly intended to cause panic and destabilize the relative peace and security enjoyed by the good people of Rivers State.”

Additionally, none of the country’s leading media platforms reported any incidents matching the descriptions in the viral posts. Given the tense political situation in the state, such major developments would have made headlines.

Conclusion

The viral posts alleging riots and attacks on Nyesom Wike’s residence in Rivers State are entirely false and part of a disinformation campaign. No credible evidence supports these claims, and police authorities have confirmed that the state remains calm.