A retired senior naval officer, Commodore Promise Dappa, has accused former Chief of Naval Staff and current Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), of enabling corruption within the Navy and now allegedly continuing the same pattern in political office.
Dappa, who served the Nigerian Navy for 32 years, claims he was denied promotion on three separate occasions for refusing to align with oil thieves during his time as Maritime Guard Commander at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
According to Dappa, his refusal to compromise made him a target of powerful interests, including Ibas himself, who became Chief of Naval Staff in 2015.
“I had one of the best records among my contemporaries,” Dappa told journalists. “But Ibas made sure I was denied every privilege, while his protégés two of whom were later indicted by the EFCC—got promoted after looting NIMASA dry.”
He alleged that while millions of naira were forfeited by his successors due to corruption, they still rose through the ranks under Ibas’ leadership. Meanwhile, Dappa said he was blacklisted for standing against wrongdoing.
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The former naval officer also accused Ibas of ethnic bias, alleging that officers from Rivers State were sidelined in favour of those from Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, “Ibas’ boys,” he said who received prime postings and accelerated promotions.
Now in a political role, Vice Admiral Ibas is once again at the centre of controversy.
As Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibas is facing scrutiny following revelations by the House of Representatives of questionable budgetary provisions: N30 billion allocated for gunboats, N23 billion for unspecified “contingency reserves,” and N24 billion for CCTV installations at the Government House which, according to reports, already has functional surveillance systems.
Dappa said he is not surprised by the development. “Ibas couldn’t procure proper gunboats when he was Chief of Naval Staff, and now he’s budgeting billions for the same boats as an administrator? Rivers State is just his new playground. Only God can save the treasury now.”
From the creeks of the Niger Delta to the corridors of state power, Dappa’s account paints a picture of a system that punishes integrity and rewards complicity.
“Funny how the same hands that turned a blind eye to oil theft are now signing off on ghost gunboats and invisible CCTV,” he added.
As calls mount for an investigation into the allegations, there has been no official response from Vice Admiral Ibas or the Rivers State Government.
