YOUTHS AND POLITICAL THUGGERY IN NIGERIA

Politics in Nigeria has been rightly called a ‘do or die affair.’ The political atmosphere in the country has been one of tension and violence as various vices operate. The politicians will use any means to get into power and this is usually made manifest during election periods when various forms of election malpractices is the order of the day. There is the election rigging, stealing of ballot boxes, intimidation and threats to opponents, assault, assassination, harassment, maiming and killing. This trend is not phenomenon of recency: thuggery, brutality and violent political behaviour have been with us since independence.

Immediately after independence, the politicians in order to retain political seats with their regions went into various acts that were both politically unwise and immature. They adopted a style that was an impediment to democracy and good governance. They recruited, trained and empowered thugs to harass, intimidate and victimize perceived political opponents those opposing views against their political ambition. This culture of thuggery has since then stayed with us, from independence till date.

It is an established fact that the Nigerian politics is characterized by violence and since thuggery is defined by as act of violence or behaviour by ruffians, it is therefore safe to say that thuggery in Nigerian politics is a means to an end. There is no limit to the number of thugs that a politician can surround himself with. What is however unfortunate in this trend is that the politicians make use of youths that are supposed to serve as future leaders for their questionable activities. They use these young ones for political intimidation, harassment and even assassination of political opponents.

For instance, in 2003 and 2007 respectively, the general elections that took place were characterized by the use of political thugs to fight and win the elections nationwide. For example, the hitherto non-violent south-south geopolitical zone of the country witnessed an unprecedented build up of armed youths; recruited and trained by local politicians to win elections through the use of violence and physical intimidation of rival parties. This phenomenon coupled with already existing decades-long youth’s agitation for justice and equity especially in the Niger Delta oil bearing region metamorphosed into a vibrant youth’s militancy in the region. Another instance is the last general elections of 2011, many people lost their lives and in some cases private and public properties were wantonly destroyed. Political thugs created, trained and sustained by politicians became the potent agents of intimidation and destruction used by the political parties and desperate politicians in the do or die battles to win primary and general elections at all costs and by all means necessary.               

The multi-billion naira question is who are these political thugs? The simple answer to this very expensive question is that they come from homes of Nigeria’s underprivileged class – the downtrodden masses that generation after generation of Nigerian elite leadership created since independence from the British colonial rule in 1960. They are the school drop outs, the unemployed youths (the jobless college and university graduates) who will bend to the will and whims of power-hungry politicians in exchange for some naira notes, the stark illiterates who have never gone to school, miscreants, ruffians, street boys (area boys) and other unsavoury characters are usually the targets of these politicians. Some of them are placed on regular salaries, with allowances accompanying their remunerations. Some are employed as special advisers, special assistants and personal assistants while those who do not fit in for the aforementioned positions are made contractors to the government. Still some are paid off immediately after the usual assignment.

During campaigns, they use them to instil a sense of fear into political opponents and even during elections, they cause hitches. They can be used to hijack ballot boxes, election rigging, they intimidate voters and create such an unhealthy political environment that most times, voters and officials are unable to come out to exercise their franchise to vote and be voted for. These thugs are also used to ‘silence’ political opponents and aspirants or members of society that are perceived to be too vocal in their actions and condemnation of some of the activities of these politicians.                                       

The menace of political thuggery in Nigeria has to be checked in order for us to have a more sustainable democracy that will really be a government of the people, for the people and by the people. So that we can live in a nation where leaders are no longer imposed on us because of the activities of political thugs and their nefarious activities. People can be able to exercise their franchise right without fear of intimidation and harassment. They can feel that their votes really count in choosing their leaders and the political atmosphere can be one of healthy rivalry and competition thereby allowing for the promotion of good governance in the country. Concrete and implementable programmes and policies should be formulated of putting a stop to nurturing and breeding of political thugs and gangsters by desperate and unscrupulous politicians.           

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