List of times Nigeria has declared a state of emergency

The president of the oil-producing nation of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, recently declared a state of emergency in the country’s primary oil-producing region, Rivers State, led by Governor Sim Fubara.

• President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, declared state of emergency in Rivers State due to political crises and oil pipeline explosion.
• The state governor, Sim Fubara, and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended for 6 months.
• There have been Previous declarations of state of emergency in Nigeria including 2013 in North Eastern states.

The state of emergency declaration came with the suspension of the Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and the State House of Assembly members.

The suspension which came amidst a series of unending political crises in the state, including the explosion of an oil pipeline, as rationalized by the president of the country, is slated to last 6 months.

President Bola Tinubu address on Governor Sim Fubara Rivers State crises

“I feel greatly disturbed by the political crisis in Rivers. The state has been at a standstill, and the people have been deprived of good governance.

Fourteen months after Governor Sim Fubara demolished the House of Assembly, it remains unbuilt. Many Nigerians have intervened, just as I did. But their efforts have been to no avail.

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No responsible President will stand by without taking action. To restore good governance and peace in this circumstance, it has become imperative to declare a state of emergency.

By this declaration, Governor Fubara is hereby suspended,” the president said, as seen in the Vanguard Newspaper.

Given this recent event, here are the few times Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in the country’s 4th republic, which constitutes a democratic rule that has lasted since 1999.

State of emergency in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe by president Goodluck Jonathan

On 13 May 2013, the former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, declared a State of Emergency in three of the North Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.

This was in response to the insecurity issues plaguing the region as a result of terrorist activities. Security outfits, particularly the Nigerian army were subsequently deployed to handle the issue.

“Nigeria found itself in disequilibrium. The President needed the declaration of State of Emergency in the troubled states in order to deal with the insurgency,” a report by local media; The Cable, reads.

The declaration did not come with the suspension of government officials.

State of emergency in Ekiti by President Olusegun Obasanjo

Unlike the previous instance, in October 2006, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, the president who preceded President Goodluck, declared a state of emergency in Ekiti State, suspending the then-governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the State House of Assembly for six months.

The reason for the suspension and declaration of the state of the emergency had to do with the turmoil Ekiti descended into as a result of the contentious impeachment of Governor Ayo Fayose.

State of emergency in Plateau by President Olusegun Obasanjo

Due to ethnic conflicts, President Olusegun Obasanjo two years before his second declaration of state of emergency, suspended the state House of Assembly and then-Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye for six months from May 18th, 2004.

Devastation and several deaths resulted from the circumstances, to reestablish order, Major General Chris Alli (retd.) was named administrator, as per The Whistler.

Since September 2001, more than 2,000 people died in a cycle of bloody conflict between the Muslim and Christian populations in Plateau State, and the president blamed the governor for doing little to stop it.