Rivers Chief Magistrate Resigns Over ‘Quasi-Military’ Governance, Citing Threat to Legal Integrity
In a fresh blow to the Rivers State government, Chief Magistrate Ejike King George has voluntarily resigned from his position, citing concerns over what he described as the imposition of a “quasi-military administration” in the state. His resignation follows that of George Nweke, the state’s former Head of Service, making him the second top official to exit since the declaration of a state of emergency.
In a letter dated April 11, 2025, addressed to the Chief Judge of the Rivers State Judiciary and submitted through the Judicial Service Commission, the Magistrate declared his decision to retire after 16 years of service under democratic administrations. He criticized the new governance structure as being “alien” and “antithetical” to the judiciary’s values.
“I find it difficult to work with the current setting, as doing so would amount to a tacit and naïve acquiescence,” he wrote, highlighting a broader unease within the state’s legal and administrative systems.
The crisis in Rivers deepened recently following allegations made by the former Head of Service in a viral video, accusing suspended Governor Sim Fubara and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, of orchestrating the burning of the House of Assembly. That controversy has now escalated into a N2 billion court battle.
The resignations signal mounting institutional resistance to the ongoing political turmoil in the state.
