Landmark events that shaped 2021 In Nigeria

 

 

IBRAHIM QUADRI

 

As the 2021 draws to a close, a number of landmark events occurred that shaped the outgoing year. Nigerians experienced political, economic and social upheavals that permeated the atmosphere.

 

SECESSIONIST AGITATIONS

 

The Federal Government had on Tuesday June 29 arrested and extradited the leader of the Indigenous People’s of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria from Kenya to continue to face trial.

 

He was subsequently arraigned with a blindfold before Binta Nyako, a Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

 

Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.

 

He was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but jumped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.

 

IPOB leader in 2020 launched Eastern  Security Network which according to Kanu was formerd to protect the people of South-East and South-South regions from terrorists and bandits allegedly trooping in from the North.

 

The IPOB leader described the outfit as a replica of the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun, earlier launched by the South-West governors to curb insecurity in the region.

The paramilitary outfit was largely believed to have been responsible for many violence ravaging the region. The struggle for supremacy of the zone led to deaths of many security operatives and IPOB members.

FG’s onslaught later led to Kanu’s arrest and eventual extradition to the country in a bid to continue his trial.

 

Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu said he was unlawfully arrested in Kenya, detained and was subsequently extracted from the country to Nigeria where he is now detained.

 

He said, “My brother Nnamdi Kanu demands the right to self-determination for Biafra. Self-determination is the right tthat underpins the United Nations.

 

“Because Biafrans support Nnamdi Kanu’s call for Biafran self-determination, my brother has now been subjected to the most serious violations of international law.

 

“Whilst visiting Kenya, Nnamdi Kanu was detained and handed over to the Nigerian authorities who then flew him to Nigeria.

 

“My brother has been subjected to extraordinary rendition by Kenya and Nigeria. They have violated the most basic principles of the rule of law. Extraordinary rendition is one of the most serious crimes states can commit. Both Nigeria and Kenya must be held to account. I demand justice for my brother,” Emmanuel Kanu submitted.

 

In its bid to ensure unconditional release of Kanu, IPOB decalred sit-at-home order on every Monday in the entire South East zone. The prevailing situation of the shutdown inflicted collateral damage on the economy of the South-East states. The hoi polloi, who eke out their daily livelihoods by hawking sachet beverages, vegetables, fruits and others- bear the brunt of the weekly shutdown of the South-East.

 

Since the commencement of the observation of the sit-at-home order on Mondays, a majority of Igbo people, whose survival depends on their daily earnings, had gone to bed on empty stomachs on countless nights because they had no money with which to buy food.

 

This order also had crippling effects on the education sector of the zone where examinations were forcefully postponed to the detriment of the students and their parents alike.

 

Similar to Kanu’s arrest, the Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was also arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic by security operatives in the West African country.

 

 

Igboho was arrested Monday July 19 night after fleeing Nigeria to evade arrest by Nigeria’s secret police.

 

Igboho had perfected plans to secretly escape from Nigeria through Cotonou and was heading to Germany.

 

The DSS operatives invaded and raided Igboho’s house in Soka, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in July, killing two people and arresting some others.

 

Igboho became a target for President Muhammadu Buhari’s government when he gave Fulani herdsmen an ultimatum to leave Igangan area in Oyo State, and later in the South West generally.

 

In Igboho’s arguement that led to the invasion, the herdsmen were responsible for the killings, kidnappings and rape cases happening in the region.

 

He stepped up his campaign by agitating for a Yoruba Nation to break away from Nigeria.

 

After his house was raided by the DSS and he was declared wanted, Igboho and his wife, Ropo were arrested by Beninese security agents at a Cotonou airport, Benin Republic while trying to travel to Germany. He has since been detained in a Beninese prison.

 

IKOYI BUILDING COLLAPSE

 

Aside the issue of agitations, a major calamity occurred in Lagos State on November 1, where a number of deaths were recorded when a 21-storey building collapsed at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi area of the State.

 

Although, this was not the first time buildings would collapse in the State, sympathizers have continued to raise eyebrows and yearning for an insight into what could have caused the high-rise building to collapse.

 

At least 46 bodies have been recovered from the rubble including the owner and developer, MD Fourscore Heights, Femi Osibona and 15 people rescued since operations began at the site on November 1.

 

Subsequent upon the tragedy, the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated a six-man panel to investigate the cause of the collapse.

 

The governor has also signed an executive bill giving legal backing to the panel. Nigerians including Lagos residents await what will  be the outcome of the panel.

 

LAGOS JUDICIAL PANEL REPORT ON LEKKI SHOOTINGS

 

In the aftermath of ENDSARS’ protests that engulfed many states of the country in 2020, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution at the Lagos Court of Arbitration headed by retd. Justice Doris Okuwobi.

 

The Lekki incident had generated both national and international reactions. After a year of the devastating incident, the panel set up by the Lagos Governor submitted its report on November 15.

 

In his reaction to the report, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed dismissed the report on the Lekki toll gate violence, saying it was riddled with “errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence”.

 

The report, against claims by the federal government, concluded that Nigerian soldiers and police on October 20, 2020, shot and killed unarmed protesters while they were waving the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem during a protest against police brutality.

 

Despite popular belief, the Federal and Lagos Governments had denied some of the findings of the panel . It claimed there were no bodies to prove a massacre occurred.

 

The judicial panel in its report dismissed the government’s claims, and confirmed dozens of peaceful protesters were killed at the toll gate by state agents.

 

However, in the White Paper released by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, the state government stated that of all the 32 recommendations made by the JPI on the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting, it only accepted 11 and rejected (1) one and agreed on six with modifications. It added that 14 recommendations fall outside its powers and would be forwarded to the Federal government for consideration.

 

SQUABBLE OVER VAT COLLECTIONS

 

In August, a landmark judgement was delivered by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt declaring that it is the Rivers State Government and not the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) that should collect Valued Added Tax (VAT) and Personal Income Tax (PIT).

 

The court, presided over by Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam, has also issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining FIRS and the Attorney General of the Federation, both first and second defendants in the suit, from collecting, demanding, threatening and intimidating residents of Rivers State to pay to FIRS, personnel income tax and VAT.

 

Justice Pam made the assertion while delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/149/2020, filed by the Attorney General for Rivers State (plaintiff), against FIRS (first defendant) and the Attorney General of the Federation (second defendant).

 

Not satisfied with the judgement, the FIRS had proceeded to the Court of Appeal where Lagos State Goverment also joined its counterpart Rivers State, as a co-defendant in the appeal.

 

The Appellate Court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices,  held that Lagos State had through its Attorney-General, established that it “has a direct and substantial interest” in the matter.

 

The appelatte court had however ruled that Rivers and Lagos States should maintain status quo over the collection of VAT.

 

In a new twist, the Rivers State government has therefore filed an appeal at the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the Court of Appeal in the Value Added Tax (VAT) dispute between the state and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

 

The state has asked the supreme court to set aside an order of the court of appeal which directed the state to maintain the status quo on the collection of VAT pending the determination of an appeal filed by the FIRS.

 

The Rivers state government, represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Emmanuel Ukala, alongside three other senior lawyers, filed a notice of appeal at the apex court with the Attorney-General of Rivers State as the appellant while the FIRS and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami  are listed as respondents.

 

As the final arbiter, it is the apex court that will eventually determine where the pendulum switches in 2022 except if there is a political solution to assuage the frayed nerves over VAT.

 

ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT BILL

 

After the passage of Electoral Bill by the National Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari has once declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

 

Buhari announced his decision in a letter to the National Assembly where he cited several reasons for declining assent to the electoral act ammendment.

 

Buhari noted that the mandatory use of direct primaries for all political parties in the country will be too expensive to execute, saying that it will put a financial burden on Nigeria’s slim resources.

 

He said that conducting direct primary elections will be tasking, explaining that since such mode of election means a large turnout of voters, the move would stretch the security agencies.

 

Buhari also expressed fears that the proposed mandatory use of direct primaries will amount to the violation of citizens’ rights will be violated and will lead to marginalisation for smaller political parties.

 

Buhari added that political parties should decide the best way to pick their candidates for elections, noting that his stance was based on a careful review and consultations.

 

Although Buhari’s reasons to decline assent are largely focused on the clause that proposes mandatory use of primary elections, Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, however, said the president is insincere.

 

Wike like several critics, said Buhari did not assent to the bill due to his fears over the electronic transmission of results clause.

 

“The ruling party in their conspiracy is trying to deceive Nigerians that the mere inclusion of the direct primaries in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is the problem why the President does not want to sign or why he has refused to sign. The major issue is the transmission, the electronic transmission of results,” Wike stated.

 

The  governor said the president does not have a good reason for not signing the bill.

 

Amid criticisms, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said Buhari’s decision on the bill will not affect his legacy as Nigeria president.

 

2023 general elections mode of operations now depends on what eventually transpires at the national Assembly. Does the federal lawmakers have the strong conviction to override the president? This will come to public sphere as members of the national Assembly resume sitting after their recess.