Every year comes with its dose of events. 2021 is one year Nigerians will not forget in a hurry. While the Coronavirus pandemic continues to top discussions across the globe, the most populous black nation battled greatly with issues of insecurity.
Even as the year gradually winds down to an end, here are 10 big things that happened in Nigeria in 2021 as compiled by Daily Report Nigeria.
Things That Happened in Nigeria in 2021
1. TB Joshua’s Death
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Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua was one of the most popular Nigerians across the globe until his demise. The founder and senior pastor of Synagogue Church of All Nations died on June 6, 2021, shortly after a church service in Lagos.
TB Joshua’s death sent shockwaves across the country and globally with many struggling to come to terms with the Senior Prophet’s passing.
He was largely renowned for his philanthropic gestures across the globe.
Read Also: 10 Things You Should Know About Late Prophet TB Joshua
2. Nnamdi Kanu’s Arrest
The Supreme Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria in June. His arrest was masterminded by close work between security agencies in Nigeria and the International Police, Interpol.
Kanu was almost immediately charged before an Abuja High Court on allegations bordering on terrorism and by Justice. Series of adjournment has since followed his hearings.
While counter-reactions between the Department of State Services and Kanu’s lawyers, the case is next fixed for hearing on January
Read Also: President Buhari Considers Nnamdi Kanu’s Release
3. Sunday Igboho’s Arrest
While Nigerians were yet struggling to come to terms with the arrest of Biafran leader, his Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemi, popularly known as Sunday Igboho was arrested by Benin Republic Authorities at Cardinale Bernardin International Airport.
The Oyo-born activist had his home invaded by the DSS prior to his arrest. The Nigerian government attempted arm twisting the Beninoise authorities to extradite Igboho back to the country the same way Kenyan authorities did to no avail.
While his German wife, Ropo, was released days after their arrest, Igboho has since remained in custody for over 200 days. He has also been reported to be experiencing a deterioration in his health while in custody.
Read Also: Court Orders FG to Pay Sunday Igboho N20 Billion
4. Twitter Ban
The Nigerian Federal Government formally ordered a shutdown on the operations of the microblogging platform, Twitter on June 5, 2021.
The ban announced by Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism was preceded by a suspension following the deletion of a post made by President Muhammadu Buhari by the social media platform.
Twitter had stated a violation of its operational guidelines as a reason for the deletion of the President’s post.
Both parties have entered a negotiation process with the federal government issuing ten conditions to the American company. According to Lai, seven of the conditions have been agreed on by Twitter.
Nigerians have resorted to the use of Virtual Private Networks to access the functionalities of Twitter. Business people, influencers, and service providers on the platform are reported to have lost hundreds of billions of Naira as a result of the ban.
3. NDA Attack by Bandits
Daredevil bandits on August 24, 2021, attacked the Nigerian Defense Academy in Kaduna, an incident that many Nigerians are yet to fathom. Many still wonder how bandits gained access to the highly sophisticated and security-oriented environment like the NDA.
The attack which attracted wide condemnation from prominent Nigerians left two officers dead and another senior officer, Major Christopher Datong, taken hostage by the bandits.
READ ALSO: NDA Just Like Any Other School, We Saw No Need To Fortify It – Irabor
4. Chief of Army Staff Attahiru’s Death
Late Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Ibrahim Attahirudied in a fatal plane crash that involved the COAS and eight other operatives of the Nigerian Army.
Some residents who claimed to have witnessed the crash alleged that some occupants of the plane had jumped out of the plane moments before the crash.
Attahiru has since been replaced with Major General Farouk Yahaya.
He was the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, a counter-terrorism operation in the Northeast prior to his appointment.
READ ALSO: Names of Army Personnel Who Died in Kaduna Plane Crash
5. Tiwa Savage Sex Tape
A big story that rocked the Nigerian entertainment industry, the Tiwa Savage sex tape scandal was a mouthful for many to talk about.
The ‘Somebody’s Son’ had announced being blackmailed with her sex video by an unknown source. While Tiwa confirmed she was indeed the person in the tape, she refused to play the victim for doing ‘something natural.’
A night after Tiwa had bragged that the tape will not come to the limelight, her blackmailers eventually released the sex tape.
Tiwa has come out strong after the incident and has gone ahead to grab attention in a positive light.
READ ALSO: I’d Rather Share The Sex Tape Myself Than Pay Blackmailer – Tiwa Savage
6. Psquare Reunion
Twin music duo, Mr. P and Rudeboy finally settled the long beef that severed ties of arguably the biggest music group out of Africa. The beef led to the duo pursuing solo careers as musicians and businessmen.
Peter and Paul Okoye both registered relative success as solo acts, but fans continued to long for a piece of the Psquare brothers back together.
While the duo is back together and planning towards their first concert together in five years, the cause of their long-term beef has been kept top-secret.
READ ALSO: ‘We are back’, P-Square Announces Date For First Concert in Five Years
7. FBI Arrests HushPuppi
Nigeria’s Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as HushPuppi was rounded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with United Arab Emirates police operatives.
His arrest was predominantly motivated by defrauding an Arab businessman who had sought a loan to build a school.
HushPuppi had pretended to be a bank executive in collaboration with one to defraud over $1 million dollars.
His arrest further to the unleashing of a can of worms as Nigerian celebrity corp, DCP Abba Kyari was roped in as an accomplice with the fraudster.
Kyari was alleged by the FBI to have assisted in HushPuppi by arresting Kelly Chibuzor, HushPuppi’s accomplice in the act.
Even with a lengthy statement debunking the allegation, the accused later deleted the post from his Facebook wall after over four edits.
While some Nigerians asked for the Deputy Commissioner of Police to be extradited to the US, the Inspector-General of Police, only set up a panel to investigate the case. Conclusions of the investigation are yet to be made public.
8. Murder of Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga
50-year-old Usifo Ataga was gruesomely murdered with multiple stab wounds found.
21-year-old Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-L student of the Lagos State University Student and Ataga’s lover remains the main suspect as the duo had lodged in an AirBnB apartment, where the Super TV Chief Executive Officer was found dead.
Chidinma was arrested alongside her father at their Yaba residence in Lagos.
The suspect first confessed to committing the crime but has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
9. Davido’s Birthday Money Rain
Multi-award-winning singer, David Adeleke, best known with his stage name Davido, left tongues wagging after calling out his friends to gift him a million Naria each to celebrate his birthday.
The call-out which started off as a joke resulted in the biggest contribution Nigeria has ever witnessed for a birthday.
The FEm crooner received a whooping N201 million in donations in 72 hours.
The star then caused the biggest shock by adding N50 million to the contributions and asked that the total cash be distributed among selected orphanages across the country.
A 5-man committee was set up to oversee the screening process in selecting beneficiaries.
Davido received widespread commendations for his action with prominent Nigerians lauding him for his kind gesture.
READ ALSO: Obi Cubana, Femi Otedola, List of Celebrities Who Contributed to Davido
10. Lagos Building Collapse
A 21-story building under construction collapsed on November 11, leaving at least 44 people dead, including the owner of the building, Femi Osibona. 15 people were rescued from the rubble.
One of the survivors of the collapsed 21-story building in Ikoyi, Lagos, said they were working on a cracked pillar on the first floor of the skyscraper when it crumbled.
11. Sylvester Oromoni’s Alleged Torture and Death
Arguably the biggest story that registered concern from every class of Nigerians in the outgoing year, Sylvester Oromoni’s death remains a puzzle left for the police to solve.
A Junior Secondary School two pupil of Dowen College, Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos, the 12-year-old died on December 2, 2021, from internal injuries sustained from an alleged battery by his seniors.
The five suspected pupils were said to have battered Sylvester following his refusal to join their cult group.
Dowen College authorities denied the confession of the teenager, insisting that the injuries were a result of the deceased falling during a football game.
The Lagos State Government ordered the indefinite closure of the school pending the conclusion of investigations.
Sylvester Oromoni Snr and Nigerians are hopeful that justice will be served on behalf of Sly.
12. Obi Cubana’s Mother’s Burial
The burial ceremony of the mother of popular socialite and nightclub magnate, Obi Iyiegbu, otherwise known as Obi Cubana turned out to be a carnival as the entertainment industry thronged into Oba in Anambra State.
The ceremony attracted attendance from the various spheres of life and most celebrities in Nigeria.
The socialite has since gained celebrity status from that moment on and even went on to win the 2021 Man of the Year award.
Obi defeated prominent names including Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman UBA Group and Mr Abdul Rabiu, Chairman and founder of BUA Group to clinch the position in voting done by Nigerians within and outside the country.
Though, he was invited by the EFCC for investigation in November 2021 remains a breakout year for the billionaire.
READ ALSO: Obi Cubana Crowned Ambassador of Nigerian Youths
What did we fail to mention as part of big things that happened in Nigeria in 2021
