Tension flared in Port Harcourt on Tuesday as members of the Rivers State Sports Council staged a protest at the entrance of the Government House over unpaid award entitlements.
The demonstrators, comprising coaches and officials, accused the state government of neglecting to settle allowances promised after their participation in the 2025 Ogun Sports Festival.
Carrying placards with bold inscriptions, the protesters demanded immediate release of the funds, expressing anger over what they described as deliberate neglect by the administration of Sole Administrator Ibokette Ibas.
The disputed allowances stem from the Gateway Games, held in Ogun State between May 16 and May 30, 2025, where Rivers athletes and officials took part.
The protest comes just days before Ibas is due to vacate office on Thursday, marking the end of his six-month mandate imposed by President Bola Tinubu in March.