Justice Simeon Amadi, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, has been suspended amidst a sudden government shake-up on Monday.

Crispus Ovoh, one of Governor Fubara’s associates, confirmed this to FIJ. He also revealed that the governor’s chief protocol officer had been removed.

All 23 local government chairmen were sacked too. This was after Ehie Edison emerged as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State Governor, was en route to the state house of assembly to challenge impeachment efforts against him when police officers repelled him with gunshots and water cannons.

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“It is very, very unfortunate that we should be experiencing this sort of thing again after about nine years ago when we had a similar experience,” Fubara told journalists shortly afterwards.

“I got information, distressing information very late yesterday, and I said this morning I would come and see for myself. Anybody who knows me knows I am a simple person. I can never, never for any reason, even if I am aware there is a plot to impeach me for whatever reason… I am not bothered about it, but I am worried that a facility like this that we used taxpayers’ money to build would be destroyed for selfish reasons, just to please somebody.”

The appointment of the chief judge of a state is usually made by the governor of the state on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC). This appointment is always subject to confirmation by the house of assembly of the state.

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“The Rivers State Police Command has commenced swift security actions on security situations that occurred at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex,” the state police command posted on X on Monday.

“Anyone found wanting will be arrested and prosecuted. Further development will be communicated to the general public, please.”

Amadi succeeded Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra in May 2021, after the latter attained the mandatory retirement age of 65.

Former Governor Nyesom Wike appointed Amadi as chief judge when he was the third-ranked judge in the Rivers State High Court. Wike countered criticisms by claiming that the appointment of a substantive chief judge of a state was not in hierarchical order but on the criteria to be considered by the NJC.