As the year draws to an end in a couple of hours, i will like to highlight just a few events that transpired in the course of the year in Nigeria as a Nation.
JANUARY
- Lassa fever outbreak that killed at least 29 people in 11 states during the month.
- The most discussed issue of the month was the decision of the Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, to sack Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and to declare Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who came a distant fourth during the governorship poll as the Governor of Imo State.
- Twenty six months after killing her husband, Maryam Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging.
- Recall the three aid workers who were held hostage since December, 2019, were released in Borno State.
- Well, it did not end there as US President, Donald Trump, expanded the travel ban to include Nigeria and five other countries. In fact, it was erroneously reported by some media outlets that the founder of Living Faith Bible Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, was denied a visa by the US.
- The month ended with the alleged report of an 18-year-old man, Marvellous Luka, who reportedly raped his 70-year-old grandmother in Plateau State.
FEBRUARY
- The first case of COVID-19 was reported in the commercial city of Lagos as an Italian citizen tested positive for the virus.
- Early in the month, the Lagos State Government banned commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada on major routes, which led to protests and arrests.
- Nigerians were shocked that international flights to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos were diverted to Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, due to poor weather and complications with new equipment.
- In sports, D’Tigers, the men’s senior basketball team, booked qualification for the Olympics through the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, while D’Tigress qualified for the games via the FIBA Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament in Serbia.
- There was a royal scuffle as the Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, allegedly punched the Agbowu of Ogbaagba, Oba Dhikrulahi Akinropo, during a peace meeting in the state.
- The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, kicked over what he termed “unfortunate reports” in mainstream media and comments on the social media berating the appearance of his four wives during his swearing in and the fact that he has 27 children.
MARCH
- Emir Malam Muhammadu Sanusi ll of Kano was dethroned over disrespect to the office of the governor of the state and other government agencies. The 14th Emir of Kano from the Fulani Sullubawa clan was banished to Awe, a remote area in Nasarawa State.
- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje appointed Aminu Ado Bayero as the 15th Emir of Kano.
- There was an explosion at Abule-Ado, Lagos State, which killed at least 15 people and destroyed around 50 buildings.
- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced indefinite strike following the inability of the Federal Government to address the issues raised by the union.
APRIL
- Katsina witnessed more banditry attacks, with over 40 deaths reported.
- Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kano tripled from 77 to 219 as health authorities ramped up “verbal autopsies”.
- Malam Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, died in a private hospital in Lagos after battling COVID-19.
- Twenty one employees of ExxonMobil from Akwa Ibom State were arrested for violating state quarantine standards in Rivers State, but were released when the union threatened industrial action.
MAY
- Vera Uwaila Omosuwa (22), a microbiology student at the University of Benin, Edo State, was raped and brutally assaulted in a church where she went to study. She died two days later. #JusticeForUwa trended for days as Nigerians called on the authorities to apprehend her killers.
- Evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad continued in the wake of the pandemic.
- Governors across Northern states agreed to ban the almajiri system as part of effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
- President Buhari signed Executive Order 10 which grants financial autonomy to two other arms of government – state legislature and judiciary across the 36 states.
JUNE
- Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State joined PDP days after he was disqualified from contesting in the primary of the APC for the 2020 governorship election in the state.
- The Court of Appeal confirms the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of APC.
- The World Trade Organisation (WTO) accepted the nomination of two-time Nigerian Minister, Okonjo-Iweala, as its Director General (DG).
- US-based streaming company, Netflix, paired up with filmmaker, Mo Abudu, owner of EbonyLife TV (ELTV), to create two new TV series and several films.
JULY
- President Muhammadu Buhari suspended the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, as the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel grilled Magu over various allegations levelled against him.
- Tolulpoe Arotile, the first female combat helicopter pilot of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), died in a road accident at the NAF Base, Kaduna, after sustaining head injuries.
- The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos re-established domestic flights after a three-month shutdown; other airports were to open soon.
- The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, fainted during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly.
- Five aid workers abducted in June in Borno State were killed by ISWAP insurgents.
AUGUST
- Akinwumi Adesina was re-elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for a second five-year term.
- Twenty two-year-old musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, was sentenced to death by hanging in Kano State for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
- 13-year-old Omar Farouq was also sentenced to 10 for blasphemy.
- The army regained control of Kukawa, Borno, where ISWAP had taken hundreds captives.
- The Commander, Fagge Command of Kano State Hisbah Board, Ustaz Jamilu Yusuf, was arrested by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) over involvement in trafficking of a one-year-old child.
SEPTEMBER
- The 26-year-old fast rising rapper, Olamilekan ‘Laycon’ Agbeleshe, won the 2020 Big Brother Naija Lockdown edition.
- The Nigerian Army (NA) confirmed the killing of Mr. Terwase Akwaza alias Gana, the most wanted criminal in Benue State.
- Israel Adesanya, the UFC’s Middleweight champion pulled in 700,000 pay-per-view numbers in his title defence against Paulo Costa in September.
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Godwin Obaseki of the PDP as the winner of the Edo State governorship election. He defeated his closest rival, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the APC.
OCTOBER
- Nigeria celebrated her 60th anniversary of its independence.
- #EndSARS, a series of mass protests by young Nigerians against police brutality hit major states in Nigeria. The protests came to an end on October 20, when armed security personnel dispersed the crowd in Lekki, one of the iconic centres of the protest, leading to casualties and fatalities.
- Warehouses housing COVID-19 palliatives were also targeted and looted in most states, including the FCT.
- US refused to back Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as WTO DG.
NOVEMBER
- The Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the remand of Senator Ali Ndume in prison over his inability to produce a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who jumped bail, stalling his ongoing N2bn money laundering trial since September.
- Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau, came under attack over a picture of her wearing a backless gown she posted on social media.
- Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation probed the claim by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that he spent N19m on foreign trips during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Boko Haram insurgents killed over 76 rice farmers in Zabarmari village, a rice farming community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
- A federal appeal court in the United Arab Emirates upheld the sentencing of Surajo Abubakar Muhammad and Saleh Yusuf Adamu to life in prison for funding Boko Haram.
DECEMBER
- Gunmen abducted over 300 students of the Government Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. The boys were later released.
- FG reopened four land borders with a promise to open others before December 31.
- Anthony Joshua defended his IBF, WBA and WBO titles as he brutally knocked out Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in the ninth round.
- The police arrested Abdulrasheed Maina in the neighbouring Niger Republic and returned him to Nigeria to continue his trial.
- Governments announced new measures following resurgence of COVID-19 infections.
- The House of Representatives resolved to summon President Muhammadu Buhari over the killing of farmers and insecurity in the country. The President refused to honour the invitation on the advice of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
