Retired Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the Rivers State military administrator in the wake of the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu, was born on September 27, 1960.

Mr Ibas, a native of Nko in Cross River, was Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Naval Staff between 2015 and 2021. He served in the Nigerian Navy from 1979-2021, when he retired.

He started primary education at Nko Primary School in 1966 and concluded at Big Qua Primary School, Calabar 1971. Between 1972 and 1976, he attended Hope Waddell Training Institute Calabar.

In 1977, he attended the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja. He proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979, serving in different capacities and rising through the ranks to be the Chief of Naval Staff.

During his service, he attended several local and international military courses, including Amphibious Warfare School of the U.S. Marine Corps University in Virginia in 1992 and National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan. He bagged a master’s degree in defence and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. 

Mr Ibas,64, bagged several awards in service, including the ECOMOG Medal and Forces Service Star. He was conferred with Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Ibas takes over leadership of River State following Mr Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state amid lingering hostilities between Sim Fubara and former Governor Nyesom Wike, an ally of the president.