There were several events that shook Nigeria and sent shock in the spines of Nigerians during the passing year.
These events range from security, economy to political issues.
As Nigerians and of course the world at large welcome the New Year, DAILY POST recalls these major events and here we bring you the ten most talked about events in the country in 2021:
1. Death of Prophet T.B Joshua
Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as T. B Joshua, the General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, located in Ikotun, Lagos State, died on Saturday, June 5, 2021. The widely known cleric died seven days to his 58th birthday. Joshua was then buried in July 2021.
2. Re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu:
Many Nigerians were shocked on June 29, 2021 when the Federal Government announced that Nnamdi Kanu, a United Kingdom-based leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has been arrested.
The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami on June 29 suddenly told a press conference in Abuja that international collaborative efforts with security agencies led to the arrest and repatriation of Kanu.
3. President Muhammadu Buhari sacks Service Chiefs.
Following the cries of individuals, groups and organisations, President Muhammadu Buhari on January 26, 2021, finally announced the appointment of new Service Chiefs who replaced the previous service chiefs: Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar after nearly six years.
4. Chief of Army Staff, Lieut. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, other senior officers die in air crash
Nigerians were shocked and were thrown into mourning when the news was broken on May 21, 2021, that the country’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others, had died in a plane crash.
The Chief of Army Staff died just a few weeks after his appointment and President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend their funeral.
5. Arrest of Sunday Igboho
A popular Yoruba nation activist and separatist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was arrested on July 19. The activist, who had several clashes with the Fulani herdsmen in Oyo State, was said to be on his way fleeing the country to Germany through Cotonou, Benin Republic. Igboho’s attempted escape from the country followed the July 1 attack on his residence by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who admitted killing only two of his aides.
6. Buhari government suspends Twitter in Nigeria:
On June 5, 2021, Nigerians, mostly the younger generation, were shocked by the news of the suspension of the popular social media platform, Twitter in Nigeria.
The social media platform was suspended a few days after it deleted a controversial tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari’s post was viewed by many as having some threat contents against the people of the South East. Twitter suspension in Nigeria, as announced by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, took effect from June 5.
February 17: Kagara students’ abduction
On 17 February 2021, bandits attacked a school in Kagara, Niger State, abducting 27 students and killing one pupil in the process. This would be the first major attack on a school in 2021..
7. Abduction of students in North West:
Terrorists called bandits in Nigeria went on rampage in North West States kidnapping and in some cases, killing students. On February 26, over 279 schoolgirls were kidnapped from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Jangebe in the Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State. And on March 11, 2021, 39 students were abducted from Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Igabi LGA, in Kaduna State.
On May 30, 2021,200 students of an Islamiyya school located at Tegina in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State were abducted. One person was said to have been shot dead and on June 17, 2021, as armed bandits, as they are called, killed a police officer and kidnapped at least 80 students and five teachers from the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State. And on July 5, 2021, Gunmen abducted 140 school children after invading the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State.
In total over 1,000 school children alone were abducted in the year 2021.
Also on April 20, 2021, about 20 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna were abducted by bandits and two of the students were killed .
8. Owerri Prison Break:
Unknown gunmen, as they are known in the South East, on April 18, being Easter Day, invaded the Owerri Correctional Centre and freed 1,884 inmates.
9. Invasion of NDA by bandits:
Bandits invaded the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, Zaria, on August 24, 2021. They killed two officers whose names were given as Lieutenant Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo. Another senior officer was abducted in the process.
10. Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report.
The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to look into the alleged cases of police brutality and the incidents of October 20, 2020, at Lekki Toll Gate, submitted its report to the Governor.
The panel, led by Justice Doris Okuwobi, indicted the Nigerian Army, the Police and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, insisting that at least nine persons were confirmed dead at the Lekki toll plaza.
Other issues:
Former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, emerged the governor-elect of Anambra State, beating challenges from Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Valentine Ozigbo of the People Democratic Party, PDP.
Most recent issue:
On December 20, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the Electoral Act amendment bill.
