Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, several states have experienced emergency rule declared by different administrations. Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Bola Tinubu have invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to impose emergency rule in response to security crises and political instability.
A state of emergency allows the President to assume special powers to restore order by suspending normal governance structures. Below is a timeline of emergency rule in Nigeria since 1999:
- Plateau State (May 18, 2004)
President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in Plateau State, suspending Governor Joshua Dariye and the State House of Assembly. The action followed prolonged ethno-religious violence between Muslim and Christian communities, which had resulted in over 2,000 deaths since 2001. - Ekiti State (October 2006)
In the wake of political turmoil triggered by the impeachment of Governor Ayodele Fayose, President Obasanjo imposed a state of emergency in Ekiti State. Brigadier General Adetunji Olurin (retd.) was appointed as the administrator to oversee governance during the period. - Borno and Plateau States (December 31, 2011)
President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in some local government areas in Borno and Plateau States due to escalating insecurity, particularly insurgent activities linked to Boko Haram. - Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States (May 14, 2013)
Faced with intensified insurgency in the Northeast, Jonathan extended the state of emergency to cover the entire states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa to combat terrorist threats. - Rivers State (March 18, 2025)
President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State amid a prolonged political crisis. The proclamation led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for six months. Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) was appointed as the administrator to manage the state’s affairs.
These instances highlight how emergency rule has been used as a constitutional tool to address crises in Nigeria’s democratic journey.