Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas Denies Civil Service Recruitment Reports, Says Alleged Plan To Employ 10,000 People Was Never Sanctioned

At least a dozen shops and properties valued at millions of naira were destroyed in a fire that broke out at another market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Reports indicate that the blaze started at approximately 10:55 p.m. on Thursday at Block A, No. 64, Mayegun Cement Store Market, Araromi, Agodi-Gate, and lasted for over three hours before being brought under control.

Further information revealed that assets worth several million naira were lost in the incident.

In a statement released by Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, the Acting Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, the government dismissed the circulating information as completely false and advised the public to ignore it.

The statement further emphasized that any legitimate announcement regarding civil service recruitment would be officially issued by the Rivers State Civil Service Commission when the time is right.

The statement read, “The Office of the Administrator of Rivers State wishes to disclaim a purported Special Government Announcement spreading round on social media and other platforms stating that His Excellency, The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the recruitment of 10,000 qualified graduates and non graduates into the Rivers State civil service and that the recruitment portal shall be opened for application midnight of Sunday 13/04/2025.

“The statement is claimed to have been signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika.

“We wish to categorically inform the people of Rivers State and the general public that this is false and ask that this fake announcement be ignored.

“Appropriate information will be released by the Rivers State Civil Service Commission in due time.”