History of Emergency Rule in Nigeria Since 1999

With Nigeria’s return to democracy in May 1999, the country has witnessed a number of emergency rule at state level.

Three presidents including Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Bola Tinubu have relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare state of emergency in states.

The section interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger, disaster or terrorist attacks in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.

A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety.

Here is a timeline of emergency rule in Nigeria since 1999:

1. On May 18, 2004, Obasanjo imposed a state of emergency on Plateau State, suspending the elected Governor Joshua Dariye and the State House of Assembly in the process. He accused the governor of failing to act to end a cycle of bloodletting violence between the Plateau State’s Muslim and Christian communities that claimed over 2,000 lives since September 2001.

2. On December 31, 2011, Jonathan declared a State of Emergency in some local governments in Borno and Plateau States in 2011.

3. On May 14, 2013, Jonathan declared a state of emergency for the entire northeast insurgent-ridden states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

4. On March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state. Tinubu made the proclamation during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months. The president nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months.