The Rivers State government has firmly denied rumors circulating on social media that Governor Siminalayi Fubara ordered the shutdown of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other oil businesses in the state.
In a statement released by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, the government condemned the report as “not only incorrect, but a deliberate act of propaganda.”
“The Rivers State Government has been alerted to a false news item spreading on social media claiming that ‘Gov. Siminalayi Fubara has shut down NNPCL and all oil businesses in Rivers State,’” the statement reads.
Describing the report as “absolutely untrue and only the product of the author’s imagination,” Johnson added, “It was propagated by foes of the State through an insignificant and unverified source.”
According to the statement, Governor Fubara remains committed to upholding the rule of law and addressing governance issues through appropriate channels. “We, therefore, urge the people of Rivers State and well-meaning Nigerians to disregard this spurious and false report, as Governor Fubara has never considered or issued any such directive to shut down the state’s economy for any reason.”
