A verified X user, @MissPearls, has claimed that a state of emergency was never declared in Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, or Benue, saying it has now been declared in Rivers State.
The post read:
“State of Emergency was never called in Borno. It was never called in Yobe or Zamfara. Not even in Benue where herdsmen feast on bodies for breakfast. But in Rivers…”
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The post has generated more than 290,000 views, alongside over 3,000 reposts and more than 9,000 likes as of March 21, 2025.
CLAIM
A state of emergency was never declared in Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, or Benue.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is HALF-TRUE.
In Nigeria, a state of emergency is usually declared in times of crisis, significant civil unrest, heightened insecurity, or political turmoil.
Although the 1999 Nigerian Constitution does not categorically state the meaning of a state of emergency, Section 305 provides for the procedure for the declaration of such.
Specifically, Section 305 (3) (a) to (g) of the 1999 Constitution says the President shall have the power to proclaim a state of emergency only when: the federation is at war; the federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war, or there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security.
Other conditions are: If there is a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger; (e) there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the community or a section of the community in the federation; (f) there is any other public danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the federation; and if the president receives a request to do so in accordance with the provisions of subsection (4) of this section.
Recall that on March 18, 2025, the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State over alleged political crisis and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
However, contrary to the X post, this is not the first time Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in states facing crises.
Checks by The FactCheckHub show that former President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency on May 14, 2013, in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States in response to the Boko Haram’s insurgency. These states remained under emergency rule for over a year as the military battled to reclaim territories seized by the militants. The then President Jonathan did not however suspended the governors of those three states during the crisis.
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Also recalled that Jonathan had earlier declared a partial state of emergency in parts of Borno and Yobe States on December 31, 2011, due to escalating Boko Haram attacks.
While Zamfara and Benue have experienced high levels of violence due to banditry and herder-farmer conflicts respectively, no formal state of emergency has been declared in either of the two states by the Nigerian government.
It will be recalled that during crisis situations in both Zamfara and Benue States, state governments have imposed curfews multiple times in parts of the states and sometimes statewide to protect lives and properties in their respective domains. None has attracted state of emergency proclamation by the federal government.
THE VERDICT
The claim that a state of emergency was never declared in Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, or Benue is HALF-TRUE; a state of emergency has been declared in Borno and Yobe States in the past, contrary to the user’s claim, but there has been no such proclamation in Zamfara and Benue States respectively.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
