A coalition of Nigerian lawyers on Wednesday staged a protest at the United States Embassy in Abuja, demanding urgent international intervention to restore what they described as the “dismantled democratic structures” in Rivers State.
Clad in their professional black-and-white attire and chanting pro-democracy slogans, the lawyers submitted a formal petition to U.S. diplomatic officials, expressing concerns over the breakdown of constitutional order in the oil-rich South-South state.
“We are here to alert the international community, particularly the United States, about the gross subversion of democracy and the rule of law in Rivers State,” said Barrister Kenneth Uche, one of the protest leaders. “What is happening there is nothing short of a civilian coup backed by political interests.”
Rivers State has been mired in political turmoil in recent months following a dramatic fallout between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The crisis has seen the resignation and decamping of lawmakers, the demolition of the state assembly complex, and the emergence of a parallel legislative structure, drawing condemnation from civil society and calls for restraint from the presidency.
Critics allege that unelected actors have effectively hijacked governance in the state, while legitimate structures including the state assembly and local government administrations — have been undermined or rendered dysfunctional.
The protesting lawyers called on the United States to:
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Condemn what they termed "executive rascality" in Rivers;
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Impose visa bans on individuals involved in the crisis;
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Encourage the Nigerian government to restore constitutional order and protect democratic institutions.
They also urged global watchdogs such as the United Nations and African Union to monitor the situation closely and take steps to prevent a full-scale breakdown of governance in the state.
“Democracy is dying in Rivers, and silence is complicity,” another protester said. “We won’t allow state capture to go unchecked under a democratic government.”
Officials at the U.S. Embassy acknowledged receipt of the petition but have not issued a formal public response as of press time. However, diplomatic observers suggest the embassy is closely monitoring the unfolding developments in Rivers and may issue a statement in the coming days.
The protest adds to growing national and international scrutiny of Nigeria’s handling of internal political disputes, and highlights a deepening concern about the fragility of democratic institutions in the country’s subnational governance.
