This list has the most talked about
incidents that helped shape the outgoing
year for better or worse.

Here is a list of 10 striking controversies
that rocked Nigeria in 2014:

1. The Federal Government suspends
Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi (February 20)
sanusi
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
President Jonathan suspended Malam
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the CBN
governor, claiming that his tenure had
been characterised by acts of financial
recklessness and misconduct. The
president said he was concerned about
far-reaching irregularities under Malam
Sanusi’s watch, which have distracted the
apex bank away from the pursuit and
achievement of its statutory mandate. He
however did not exit the financial stage
without responding to the 35-count
allegations against him by the Financial
Reporting Council of Nigeria and the
federal government.

2. At least 19 applicants killed across the
nation at Immigration Service recruitment
exercise (March 15)
No fewer than 19 applicants lost their lives
and dozens were injured at the 2014
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)
recruitment exercise, a tragedy which
occurred when 6.5 million people across
the country (including the FCT) stormed
various recruitment centres in the country
for 4,000 positions.
The applicants who had thronged venues
of the exercise, mostly stadia, paid N1,000
as application fee. The Federal
Government and the two chambers of the
National Assembly constituted separate
committees to probe the tragedy at the
time, but the reports of the panels are yet
to be made public.
President Jonathan also promised
automatic employment for those ‘certified
injured’ and three slots for immediate
family members of those killed, but there
are court cases and protests by those
affected and civil society organisations
over the failure of the government to
honour the promises made. Failure to sack
Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro,
even after taking full responsibility for the
tragedy remains controversial.

3. Abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok
Girls’ Government Secondary School (April
14)
Boko Haram militants stormed a
secondary school in Chibok, Borno State,
where students were writing their final
examinations and abducted over 200
girls. Security forces failed to immediately
go after them.
Later, the leader of the Boko Haram sect,
Abubakar Shekau, in a video claimed
responsibility, jeering that some of the
girls have been married off, while all of
them were forced to convert to Islam. The
abduction attracted national and
international outrage, culminating in
protests in some parts of Nigeria and
around the world, made popular by the
hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.
At least 56 of the abducted girls escaped
on their own at various times, while the
rest are believed to be held by the
terrorists in Sambisa Forest. President
Jonathan has vowed to have the girls
released.

4. DHQ Spokesman announces ‘rescue’ of
Chibok girls (16 April)
Olukolade
Major-General Chris Olukolade
The Director of Defence Information,
Major-General Chris Olukolade, announced
the rescue of “all 129 girls” except eight.
The very next day, he retracted the
statement to the collective chagrin of
Nigerians and the international
community.
Fast-forward to July, Chief of Defence Staff,
Air Marshal Alex Badeh, said the Nigerian
military had discovered where the
schoolgirls were being kept, but that they
would not use force to rescue them.
Badeh was quoted to have said: “The
good news for the girls is that we know
where they are but we cannot tell you, we
cannot come and tell you military secrets
here. Just leave us alone, we are
working…”

5. Ebola disease descends on Nigeria (July
20)
patrick-sawyer55-360x229.jpg
Patrick Sawyer
An American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer,
arrived Lagos from Monrovia and it was
reported that he looked “terribly ill” and
was subjected to medical examination in a
private hospital in Lagos. His confirmatory
test results for Ebola infection were still
pending and it eventually proved that
Sawyer had Ebola.
The then Minister of Health, Prof.
Onyebuchi Chukwu, broke the news at a
world press conference in Abuja. A lot of
events followed, including burials
anywhere in the country requiring a
mandatory death certificate. Nigeria’s
request for an experimental drug was
turned down. Several Ebola cure claims
ranging from consumption of bitter kola
to salt water surfaced and fizzled out. In
the end, Nigeria confirmed a total of 19
cases, of whom seven died and 12
survived, hailed as heroes.
The country effectively contained the virus,
as the World Health Organisation (WHO)
declared it Ebola-free 42 days after the
country’s last infectious contact with a
confirmed or suspected case. The struggle
lasted exactly 93 days.

6. First Lady Patience Jonathan publicly
doubts Chibok girls’ abduction (May 5)
hqdefault
The First Lady, Patience Jonathan, burst in
tears
The First Lady, Patience Jonathan, at a
second enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on
the abducted schoolgirls openly burst into
tears, instantly spawning an internet
meme and widely circulated video in
which she kept repeating “There is God
o.”
Mrs. Jonathan had requested Hajiya Nana
Shettima, the wife of Borno State
governor, to chair the committee which
sought clarification on conflicting issues
on the matter. Mrs. Shettima however did
attend the second meeting, to which Mrs.
Jonathan complained bitterly. One of the
most memorable parts of the video – as
well as its lowest point – probably remains
when Mrs. Jonathan infamously asked the
Chibok school’s principal in halting Pidgin
English: “Na only you waka come?”

7. IGP withdraws Tambuwal’s security
over defection to APC (Oct 30)
Tambuwal (1)
Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal
The Inspector-General of Police (then in
acting capacity) Mr. Suleiman Abba
ordered the withdrawal of policemen
attached to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal,
two days after he defected to the APC
from the PDP. The IGP said that since
Tambuwal had defected, he could no
longer enjoy the privilege of police
protection. The Department of State
Services (DSS) followed suit. Mr. Abba, on
November 26, when he appeared before
the House Committee on Police Affairs,
was adamant and refused to recognise
Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of
Reps, insisting it would be “subjudice” for
him to address him as such, as long as the
matter was in court. The members of the
committee were angry and staged a walk-
out.

8. Botched arms deals in South Africa (Sept
2014)
In September, a chartered Bombadier
Challenger 600 plane with two Nigerians
and an Israeli national onboard ferried
$9.3 million to South Africa allegedly for
the purchase of arms. But upon landing at
the Lanseria International Airport,
northwest of Johannesburg, the cargo
(money) was apprehended by the South
Africa Revenue Service (SARS) which
claimed it was smuggled funds. It said the
money was not declared and the amount
was way beyond “the prescribed legal
limit” approved by laws of the country.
The president Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsajafor,
admitted ownership of the jet but said: “I
leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a
company to run it. It was the leasee that
entered into an agreement with the
people who carried out the transfer of
funds. Having leased the aircraft to the
Green Coast Produce Company Limited,
any transaction undertaken with the
aircraft can no longer be attached to me.”
Again, four weeks later, South Africa’s
Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) seized
another $5.7 million meant for another
arms deal. The NPA ordered the funds
frozen in the bank for allegedly being
proceeds of illegal transactions. The
controversy is ongoing.

9. FG announces ‘ceasefire deal’ with Boko
Haram (October 17)
On October 17, the Federal Government
announced a ceasefire deal with Boko
Haram, sparking hope that the insurgents
would release the 276 abducted
schoolgirls. It was announced by the Chief
of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh,
who said: “A ceasefire agreement has
been concluded between the federal
government and Boko Haram.”
The President’s Principal Secretary, Hassan
Tukur, told BBC Focus on Africa that an
agreement to end hostilities had been
reached after talks with the violent group.
Tukur said Boko Haram announced a
unilateral ceasefire on Thursday and the
government had responded. He said the
sect assured that they have the girls
unharmed and that they would release
them. However, violence by the sect seems
to have escalated, with a video of leader
Shekau vehemently denying a ceasefire of
any sort.

10. Lawmakers scale National Assembly
gates (November 20)
scale
Fence-scaling lawmaker
Chaos broke out at the National Assembly
when the members were summoned from
a recess to consider President Goodluck
Jonathan’s request for the extension of
emergency rule in the troubled north-east.
The police attempted to stop House of
Reps’ Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, and
other lawmakers from gaining entry into
the assembly chambers.
This action compelled the legislators who
were locked out to scale the gates to
access the complex. The “no entry” order
created pandemonium and chaos, as
unknown officers tear-gassed lawmakers,
staff and visitors. Police spokesman
Emmanuel Ojukwu controversially claimed
in a statement that the police were acting
on ‘intelligence reports’ of a likely invasion
of the House of Reps by hoodlums.


.http://www.talkofnaija.com/local/top-10-controversies-that-rocked-nigeria-in-2014

Its pathetic to note that most of these events could have been averted, yet it was not. Worst still, all under the watch of a clueless government

Apc organized the most transparent and successful presidential primary in the history of Nigeria.

saaedlee:
Its pathetic to note that most of these events could have been averted, yet it was not. Worst still, all under the watch of a clueless government

that's why he's goodluck with a different meaning(badluck). Every bad/badluck happen in his name.

AbdulMutallab bomb saga in the U.S was the biggest ever and Obasanjo's letter to GEJ last year.

Nice summary

[color=#006600][/color]Another Great event that was not mentioned above is the Hacking of nairaland itself , no be small thing o literature and sexuality have not been the same since.*Something tells me seun wept during that time hehehe*[color=#006600][color=#006600][/colour]

And the big one come 2015 will be like, GEJ decleared the winner of Nigeria president while buhari returned to his village ...GEJ till 2019!!!

death of Dora Akunyili nko?

why these pictures no wan gree load nau

The abduction of Chibok girls definitely tops the list. The Ebola saga coming a close second...
The ‘ceasefire deal’ with Boko Haram has to be the most ridiculous of them all...

We remain positive for a Better year ahead.

PDP military wing (boko haram) bomb attack on Buhari.

that list is wrong and incomplete without anything to say bout Tonto Dikeh and Maheeda.

@OP.. When you said "...and Nairaland", one would have expected that the Nairaland Server hacking made your list.

10. Bad news

No matter the event,Nigeria,and Nairaland would always come out unscathed.

Ebola crisis should have topped the list..

When it broke out,I was scared to death..

azpekuliar:
@OP.. When you said "...and Nairaland", one would have expected that the Nairaland server crash makes your list.

yes bros i wanted to do that special with colour but alas network and ignorance no gree me

benuejosh:
that list is wrong and incomplete without anything to say bout Tonto Dikeh and Maheeda.

what is there to say about them their madnes has been on since last year

2014 had been a year of cluelessness for nigeria

Well Documented,

But in 2015 we'll be talking about.......

[size=15pt]That's some of the[/size] good; [size=20pt]Bad[/size] and [size=27pt]Ugly[/size] aspect of [size=20pt]GEJ administration[/size]

All negative pointers, in other country, the president will hv resigned.

Alrite

They happened but we got over most...... Nigeria.. we will get there

And many more.....

OP, wey the ten events wey rock Nairaland? Oya, lemme help you with that one. No dates o....

1) Super Eagles lost to Sudan

2) U-20 female team lost to Germany at the World Cup finals

3) Ahmed Musa scored a brace at the World Cup against Argentina

4) Yobo scored own-goal against France at the World Cup

5) Germany demolished Brazil 7 goals to 1

6) Nigeria failed to qualify for AFCON 2015

7) Blessing Okagbare won 2 gold medals in the Commonwealth sprint

8 Nyanya bomb blast

9) Seun employs supermods that flooded our FP with mediocre, mundane, baseless, eediotic topics

10) Linda Ikeji was pitted against Seun Osewa in a popularity battle which led to NLers bashing LIB

Extra: LIB was shut down temporarily by Google

Ebola

Ogbanje

Cool but not complete