This article presents a timeline of emergency rule declarations in Nigeria since 1999, emphasizing President Bola Tinubu’s latest declaration for Rivers State in March 2025. Previous declarations include instances in Plateau State (2004), Ekiti State (2006), and several regions impacted by Boko Haram between 2011 and 2014.
Since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999, the nation has experienced multiple declarations of emergency rule, the latest being by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State on March 18, 2025. In his address, he suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly for six months, citing the need for urgent governance measures.
The first recorded declaration of emergency rule occurred in Plateau State on May 18, 2004, by President Olusegun Obasanjo due to severe ethno-religious violence, which claimed over 2,000 lives. The governor, Joshua Dariye, and the state legislature were suspended, with Major General Chris Alli appointed as administrator.
In 2006, a political crisis in Ekiti State led to a controversial impeachment of Governor Ayo Fayose. President Obasanjo subsequently declared a state of emergency, appointing Brigadier General Adetunji Olurin as the new administrator to restore order.
On December 31, 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan imposed emergency rule in several local government areas within Borno and Plateau States to combat early Boko Haram attacks and rising communal conflicts. This set a precedent for subsequent emergency declarations in the Northeast region.
From 2013 to 2014, President Jonathan extended emergency rule to Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States in response to the escalating Boko Haram insurgency, which included significant attacks and abductions, notably the Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping in 2014. Military powers were amplified, yet the crisis persisted.
The most recent emergency declaration in Rivers State by President Tinubu represents the government’s ongoing efforts to manage political instability, as tensions rose from a power struggle within the state’s leadership. He has appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as administrator while governance is restructured.
In summary, Nigeria’s track record of emergency declarations since 1999 underscores the complex interplay of political, social, and security challenges facing the nation. From Plateau State’s ethno-religious violence to recent political upheavals in Rivers State, the government’s responses reflect the pressing need for effective governance and stabilization measures throughout the country.
Original Source: tribuneonlineng.com
