Photo File: Governor Siminalayi Fubara

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has dismissed reports portraying the state as unsafe, describing them as a deliberate campaign of misinformation driven by political motives.

The governor made the remark on Sunday night at the grand finale of the Python Golf Club’s 6th Edition Chief Ikenna Okafor 2025 Pro-Amateur Golf Championship in Port Harcourt. His comments were contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.

Fubara said the large turnout of golfers and visitors from across Africa was proof that the state remains peaceful and open for business, tourism and major events. He argued that recent negative reports on insecurity, including cult-related killings, were exaggerated.

This follows renewed media attention on security concerns after the State Police Command announced last week that it had arrested ten suspects linked to a notorious cult group terrorising the Doubu axis of Port Harcourt.

Addressing the issue, Fubara said many of the alarming reports were engineered to undermine Rivers State. He accused political opponents of “weaponising” challenges to distort public perception.

“I can tell you the truth: more than half of the things you read in the media are not true,” he said. “Worse things have happened in other states, but because they manage their media, people don’t read about them. But in our case, just to run us down, they say anything to portray us in a bad light.”

The governor acknowledged that previous political tensions created about six months of disruption but insisted that normalcy had since been restored. He praised the joint security team for what he described as “wonderful” performance since his administration resumed full activity.

Fubara said visitors at the tournament moved around the city freely, socialised and enjoyed the state without incident, underscoring the improved security situation.

He pledged continued support for the championship, including plans to revive the Governor’s Cup, and assured that the state government would help enhance the club’s facilities to attract more national and international events.

General Officer Commanding the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, also commended the peaceful atmosphere in the state, saying it influenced the decision to host the tournament in Port Harcourt.

Chief Ikenna Okafor, the celebrant of the 6th Edition tournament, expressed delight that a sitting governor visited the club during the event, the first time in 15 years. He announced plans to revive the Governor’s Cup and hold more tournaments to draw tourists to Rivers State.

Participants from eight African countries and 36 golf clubs across Nigeria took part in the competition. The event ended with prize presentations, a birthday celebration for Chief Okafor and a toast to future tournaments.