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Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu looks on after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 29, 2023.
Nigeria’s Rivers State in crisis after Lagos declares emergency rule
What prompted the move? Tinubu acted after an explosion rocked the Trans-Niger Pipeline this week, disrupting $14 million worth of daily crude oil production. The incident is still under investigation, but Tinubu accused Fubara of failing to act against gangs responsible for similar attacks in the past months that have been used to “bunker” or steal oil for sale on the black market.
However, critics argue that Tinubu’s real motive is to seize control of the oil-rich state, especially as Fubara belongs to the People’s Democratic Party, the main national opposition party to Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress. Fubara was already engaged in a power struggle with his predecessor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, and political opponents were threatening the governor withimpeachment.
The Nigerian Bar Association called Tinubu’s move “unconstitutional,” and the PDP is refusing to recognize the state of emergency. It maintains that Fubara is still governor and that Tinubu has no constitutional authority to remove him, and it has called on the country’s National Assembly to overturn Tinubu’s decision.
A closed fuel station is seen near Nigeria's oil hub city of Port Harcourt
Nigeria goes dark
The lingering power predicament: Nigeria is the leading oil producer in Africa, and the 9th largest producer in the world, but the power supply is erratic at best. The grid failed at least four times in 2022, and less than half of Nigerians are even connected to it. Instead, most families and businesses rely on petrol and diesel generators. But prices for those fuels have doubled since the government slashed subsidies in May, and many Nigerians are now struggling to find affordable alternative sources of power.
The government promised to redirect the $10 billion annual fuel subsidies towards improving the power grid. Instead, President Bola Tinubu, facing outrage and a cost of living crisis, announced he would improve the energy supply by allowing state governments to build their own power plants. While more power plants will alleviate shortages, they wont be built overnight.
President Tinubu's subsidy slashing was an unpopular step that was seen as necessary to stabilize Nigeria’s economy in the long term, and it’s won him plaudits from investors and the IMF, raising hopes of more investment in Nigeria. And the decision to decentralize the power supply could also jumpstart stumbling economic growth.
But for now, with the Tinubu administration unlikely to revisit the subsidies decision, average Nigerians are in the dark and paying the price.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu waves at a crowd during his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja.
Hard Numbers: Nigerian inauguration, North Korean heads-up, Moscow drone attack, El Sal presidential conviction, Indian dam selfie fail
5: On Monday, Bola Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s fifth president since the country’s return to democracy in 1999. “The Godfather,” whose election victory is still being contested by the opposition, has promised to end costly fuel subsidies but must also tackle an ailing economy and rampant insecurity.
12: North Korea gave Japan a 12-day window (May 31-June 11) to prepare for the launch of its first military spy satellite. Tokyo responded by threatening to shoot down anything North Korean that enters its territory.
8: On Tuesday morning, residential blocks in Moscow were attacked by eight drones. Authorities blamed Ukraine for the first strike on civilian areas deep inside Russia since the start of the war. This comes less than a month after two UAVs were shot down over the Kremlin, which Moscow then claimed was an attempt to kill Vladimir Putin by Kyiv or Washington.
14: El Salvador's exiled former President Mauricio Funes was sentenced in absentia to 14 years behind bars for negotiating with gangs. Current strongman President Nayib Bukele has been accused of the same crime, but friendly lawmakers ousted the attorney general who was investigating the allegations.
2 million: A government official in drought-prone central India was suspended after ordering that 2 million liters (440,00 gallons) of water be drained from a reservoir to retrieve his smartphone. The device, which the official dropped while taking a selfie, was found but was beyond repair.