Nigeria, March 25 -- Rivers State has never been a land of quiet politics. It pulses with oil wealth, yet its riches have never translated into peace. The latest turmoil - involving the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy and 27 lawmakers; the dramatic takeover by a military administrator, and an explosion on the Trans Niger Pipeline - reads like the script of an old, familiar tragedy.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's state of emergency, declared on 18 March, has only deepened the uncertainty. The streets of Port Harcourt hum with nervous speculation. Power has shifted overnight. But to what end?

For decades, Rivers has been a battlefield - not just for militants and oil thieves, but for politicians wielding influence like...