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As Nigeria commemorates 64 years of independence from British colonial rule, the nation finds itself confronting a harsh reality: there is little to celebrate. What should be a moment of reflection and gratitude for the journey towards self-governance has become a time of disillusionment, frustration, and even despair. A country rich in natural resources and human capital has, instead, been hijacked by what Professor MarkAnthony Nze so eloquently terms “The Gang of Looters” in his seminal work. These kleptocrats—politicians and elites—have drained the country’s wealth for their personal gain while millions of Nigerians continue to languish in poverty.
In The Gang of Looters, Nze exposes the rot that permeates Nigeria’s political class, equating them to an organized crime syndicate whose primary function is to enrich themselves at the expense of the people. It is a powerful metaphor that perfectly captures the depth of dysfunction in Nigeria’s political and economic systems. As the country marks 64 years of independence, one must ask the uncomfortable question: What exactly are we celebrating?
The Tinubu’s Maladministration: Business as Usual
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swept into office with grand promises of hope, change, and a new dawn for Nigeria. However, after six months in power, the reality has fallen far short of the rhetoric. Instead of the transformative leadership Nigerians desperately needed, his administration has morphed into a stark continuation of the old, entrenched patterns of corruption, human rights abuses, and economic decay that have long defined the country’s governance.
The numbers alone tell a painful story. Inflation has soared to an eye-watering 32.15%, making everyday essentials increasingly out of reach for the average Nigerian. Unemployment remains unacceptably high, with over 33% of the population out of work, while the national debt has ballooned to a suffocating $103 billion. Far from delivering relief, Tinubu’s economic policies—particularly the removal of fuel subsidies—have heaped further misery on the populace. Once hailed as a reform measure, the removal has triggered a cascade of rising fuel prices, leaving ordinary Nigerians to shoulder the weight of soaring costs for transportation, food, and basic goods.
The impact has been devastating. With inflation choking household budgets and the price of basic commodities climbing at an alarming rate, millions of Nigerians find themselves sinking deeper into poverty. Fuel shortages, once a symbol of mismanagement, have returned with a vengeance, making even the simple act of getting to work or school an expensive struggle. The removal of subsidies was supposed to pave the way for economic stability, but instead, it has made the daily lives of Nigerians harder, trapping them in an ever-tightening cycle of hardship.
Beneath all this economic turmoil lies a deeper, more troubling truth: Tinubu’s administration, like those before it, appears to serve the interests of a powerful few, while the rest of the country is left to fend for itself. The promised reforms have proven to be hollow, with no meaningful attempt to address the systemic corruption that has hollowed out Nigeria’s institutions. Rather than steering the country towards a brighter future, Tinubu’s government has, in many ways, reinforced the same structures of exploitation and neglect that have held Nigeria back for decades.
For millions of Nigerians, the promised “change” has brought nothing but greater uncertainty and suffering. The question now is not whether Tinubu’s leadership will improve Nigeria’s fortunes, but how much longer the people can endure the widening gap between the rich and poor, and the ever-increasing weight of broken promises.
In true fashion of the “Gang of Looters,” President Tinubu’s maladministration has failed to address these issues effectively. While millions of Nigerians struggle daily to make ends meet, members of Tinubu’s political circle are growing wealthier by the day. Allegations of cronyism, favoritism, and mismanagement abound, as lucrative government contracts are funneled to political allies without due process. It is business as usual, just as Professor Nze describes in his critique of Nigeria’s corrupt political elite.
Human Rights Violations: A Crisis in Governance
Economic mismanagement is not the only area where the Tinubu’s maladministration has faltered. Amnesty International recently highlighted the administration’s failure to uphold human rights and ensure the rule of law. Despite lofty promises made during his campaign, Tinubu has shown little regard for the basic rights of Nigerians. Human rights violations remain rampant, with security forces continuing to engage in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture.
The maladministration’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable for atrocities committed in previous disastrous government has only deepened the sense of injustice in the country. The unresolved cases of the Lekki Toll Gate massacre during the #EndSARS protests of 2020, and the killings in Southern Kaduna, remain stains on Nigeria’s human rights record. Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian government to implement findings from previous investigative panels and ensure that those responsible for these human rights abuses are brought to justice. Yet, as Professor Nze points out, this is unlikely to happen in a system where impunity reigns supreme, and the political elite are more concerned with their self-preservation than justice.
A Gang of Looters with No Accountability
Perhaps the most distressing aspect of Nigeria’s 64 years of independence is the culture of impunity that has allowed successive governments to loot the country’s resources without fear of prosecution. Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are often manipulated by those in power to suppress political opposition rather than hold corrupt officials accountable. The judiciary, riddled with corruption itself, offers little hope for justice.
Under Tinubu’s maladministration, this culture of impunity has only grown stronger. The lack of political will to prosecute those responsible for human rights abuses and financial crimes has emboldened the “Gang of Looters.” This failure of accountability extends beyond corruption and human rights abuses. It includes the government’s inability to protect the lives of its citizens in the face of rising insecurity. In the Northeast, the ongoing insurgency continues to claim lives, while in the Northwest, banditry and kidnappings have reached unprecedented levels. The situation in Southern Kaduna, where ethnic and religious violence has led to the deaths of hundreds, remains unresolved.
Read also: Independence Day: Gov Fintiri Grants Pardon To 2 Inmates
What Lies Ahead for Nigeria?
Nigeria’s future appears bleak under the current leadership. The systemic failures of governance—rooted in corruption, human rights abuses, and economic mismanagement—are not likely to change without a radical shift in how the country is run. But as Professor Nze warns in The Gang of Looters, such a shift is unlikely to happen as long as the same individuals and families continue to dominate Nigeria’s political space. These looters have built networks of power that allow them to evade accountability while continuing to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.
For Nigeria to move forward, the “Gang of Looters” must be dismantled, and a new generation of leaders committed to transparency, justice, and good governance must emerge. Civil society, the media, and international actors must continue to hold the Nigerian government accountable for its failures. But perhaps most importantly, ordinary Nigerians must demand better. They must recognize that the only way to break the cycle of corruption and mismanagement is through political engagement and collective action.
Conclusion: A Nation Held Hostage by a “Gang of Looters”
As Nigeria reaches the milestone of 64 years since independence, it’s painful to acknowledge that the dreams of freedom and prosperity have morphed into a tragic nightmare. The country, instead of standing as a beacon of African success, is crumbling under the weight of endemic corruption, widespread human rights violations, and leadership that appears more interested in self-preservation than national progress. The promises of independence have been shattered, replaced by a system that thrives on the suffering of its citizens while enriching a select few at the top.
President Bola Tinubu, despite his campaign rhetoric of hope and reform, has only deepened the crisis. His administration is a mirror image of past failures, continuing the long legacy of kleptocratic governance that has held the country hostage, it’s clear that the average Nigerian is struggling more than ever. The national debt has spiraled out of control, while ordinary citizens bear the brunt of austerity measures like the removal of fuel subsidies. This policy has pushed millions into deeper poverty, and rather than steering the country toward stability, it has destabilized the very lives of those Tinubu promised to uplift.
But it’s not just the president who is culpable. The country’s governors, particularly those aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have demonstrated the same level of incompetence, greed, and disregard for their constituents. Across Nigeria, state after state is led by politicians who, like Tinubu, seem more focused on securing personal wealth than on delivering meaningful progress to their citizens. Governors who were entrusted with the responsibility of bringing development to their states have instead become local warlords, plundering public coffers with reckless abandon. They have failed to provide the most basic services—education, healthcare, infrastructure—leaving their people in despair.
The APC, in particular, has proven to be a breeding ground for these “Gangs of Looters” that Professor MarkAnthony Nze so aptly describes. This group of political elites continues to dominate the country’s landscape, squandering the country’s vast resources and hollowing out its institutions. The governors, especially those from APC-led states, have exemplified the worst of governance: massive salary discrepancies, inflated contracts, and the sheer neglect of the people they swore to serve. Their administrations are nothing short of catastrophic, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and underdevelopment that makes the prospect of any meaningful change seem ever more distant.
Nigeria is in dire need of a radical overhaul. The rot at the core of its leadership—at both the federal and state levels—needs to be addressed if the country is to have any hope of reclaiming its future. What Nigeria requires now is not just a change of leadership, but a change in the very culture of governance that prioritizes greed over service. The governors, much like the president, have failed the Nigerian people, and the only way forward is for citizens to demand accountability, transparency, and reform at every level of government.
Professor Nze’s words ring truer than ever: Nigeria remains a country held hostage by a “Gang of looters.” Unless both the leaders and the people are prepared to confront the systemic corruption head-on and push for genuine, bold reforms, Nigeria’s future will remain bleak. This is the moment for change—anything less will be an acceptance of continued failure.
