Criminality in Nigeria did not develop suddenly. It is the result of years of political turmoil, socio-economic imbalances, ineffective institutions, and the slow decline of community values. To comprehend issues such as banditry, cyber fraud, ritual killings, widespread corruption, and state-sanctioned impunity in Nigeria, it is critical to trace their origins to the early years following independence, particularly during the military regime, when corruption and authoritarian governance became ingrained in the public mindset.
This article explores Nigeria’s descent into systemic criminality throughout different periods, and how morality have declined in present Nigerian society . It also considers how literature, especially the two novels “The Rescue” and “More Than Justice,” reflects contemporary Nigerian society, acts as a cautionary tale, and encourages discussions about national moral renewal.
1. The Early Seeds: When Corruption Took Root in Nigeria’s Public Life
In pre-historic Nigeria,
“The peoples who inhabited the areas that now make up Nigeria understood the world largely through indigenously produced knowledge. Such knowledge included existential beliefs about the nature and function of the world, the place of humans in it, and practical and material knowledge about how to survive: farming techniques, medicine and healthcare, politics and inter-group relations, trade, etc. Part of the corpus of indigenous knowledge includes information about the past, often preserved in origin myths and instructive morals. Large amounts of indigenous knowledge from the breadth of Nigerian cultures have been preserved up to the present and continue to shape how Nigerian individuals and groups identify and understand their relationship to the world.”
Matthew M. H. & Toyin, F. (2022, p.3)
Following independence in 1960, Nigeria was filled with promise as a result of abundant natural resources, flourishing institutions, and an optimistic citizenry. However, by the mid-1960s, escalating political strife, ethnic divisions, and electoral misconduct created the conditions for the first military coup in 1966. The coup leaders asserted that their intervention was to eliminate corruption, yet, paradoxically, corruption became more deeply entrenched thereafter.
Corruption manifested in many ways during military regimes. It was at this time that the nation witnessed concentrated, unaccountable authority, and diminished financial scrutiny that rendered public funds susceptible to misuse. Patronage and favoritism became commonplace, as military officers and their associates accessed state resources. Public institutions deteriorated, as they were managed like military barracks instead of civic entities. Mismanagement of the oil boom (1970s–1980s) fostered a culture where national income transformed into personal wealth for the ruling elite. The suppression of dissent ensured that citizens could not challenge governmental fraud or misconduct.
By the time Nigeria transitioned back to democracy in 1999, corruption had become interwoven into the very fabric of governance, law enforcement, commerce, and even social interactions. The military period sowed seeds that subsequent administrations found challenging and impossible to eradicate. Today, these seeds that were sowed over three decades have become trees that have plunged the nation almost to unredeemable state of moral decline.
2. The Democratic Era: New Faces, Old Habits
Many had hoped that democracy would restore the nation to glory when civilians came back to power in 1999. But the structural damage from the military era persisted. Corruption proliferated across various domains. Public offices were transformed into pathways to wealth instead of a commitment to service. Electoral violence and manipulation produced politicians who felt no obligation to their constituents. Police extortion and brutality became commonplace. Judicial compromises enabled influential individuals to evade accountability and youth disillusionment fostered an environment conducive to new forms of crime.
Although democratic leaders established anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC, political interference frequently undermined their effectiveness. Consequently, modern criminality emerged in more audacious and sophisticated manifestations, leading to the rise of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism
3. The Rise of Banditry, Kidnapping & Rural Terror
By the late 2000s, Nigeria experienced a rise in organised crime. Cattle-rustling transformed into bandit militias. Small factions of kidnappers evolved into extensive kidnapping cartels. Ineffective policing and porous borders facilitated the flourishing of arms trafficking. Desperation, poverty, and ideological manipulation propelled terrorist recruitment.
From 2023 to 2025, more that ten thousand people have been killed and over four hundred and fifty thousand displaced all over the country as a result of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism. Currently, banditry in the North-West and kidnapping nationwide represent one of Nigeria’s most significant internal security challenges. Numerous youths, disillusioned by unemployment or radicalised by extremist ideologies, enlist in these criminal organisations for survival, vengeance, or profit.
4. Cyber Fraud: “Yahoo-Yahoo” and the Digitisation of Crime
The surge in internet accessibility during the 2000s gave rise to a new menace – cybercrime. What initially started as minor scams (advance-fee fraud) evolved into Sophisticated hacking networks, International romance scams, Business email compromise, Blackmail and identity theft and Cyber cultism.
The moral decline in Nigeria has resulted in a troubling phenomenon where many individuals now admire internet fraudsters, romanticising their way of life through music, films, and social media. Parents occasionally turn a blind eye. Communities often celebrate ill-gotten gains. The distinction between criminality and achievement continues to fade.
5. Ritual Killings & the Spiritualisation of Crime
Ritual killings are frequently conducted for monetary rituals, signifying a profound moral degradation and a yearning for rapid wealth. The interplay of Unemployment, social pressure for luxury, belief in “fast money” mysticism, weak law enforcement, etc. has rendered ritual killings a terrifying contemporary trend today in Nigeria. These actions highlight how spiritual manipulation, ignorance, and warped societal values can lead young individuals to commit horrific acts.
6. Manifestations of Corruption
In Nigerian history, one consistent truth is that corruption is the driving force behind every criminal issue the country encounters. Its manifestations undermines socio-political institutions, erodes trust in government, disheartens honest citizens, strengthens criminal organisations, fosters inequality and resentment as well as positions crime as the sole avenue for success.
Unless corruption is directly addressed, Nigeria will persist in grappling with the symptoms while failing to eradicate the underlying problem that have brought her to this state of moral decline.
How My Novels Reflect Contemporary Nigeria: “The Rescue” and “More Than Justice”
Fiction serves as a potent tool for comprehending society. Through storytelling, characters, and conflict, we achieve a more profound understanding of the dynamics influencing human actions and national identity.
1. The Rescue
The Rescue illustrates the pressing necessity to reclaim a society overwhelmed by crime, injustice, corruption, and ethical ambiguity. It is a gripping crime-fiction story that explores courage, moral conflict, government goodwill towards peace and security of the people, but due to corruption, achieving such goodwill comes with a price.
The plot revolves around patriotism, the roles of government, security operatives and ordinary citizens in collaborative efforts to combat insecurity and restore peace and justice. The narrative underscores the importance of leadership integrity, citizens’ cooperation in community security, and how such actions results in national unity. The story highlights how individuals can emerge as heroes, underscoring that societal transformation begins with those committed to opposing corruption. The Rescue transcends mere entertainment. It symbolises collective accountability.
2. More Than Justice
More Than Justice explores the indistinct boundary between justice, retribution, and survival in a society where institutions falter. It reflects Nigeria’s current circumstances, spotlighting the struggles of youths in a society overtaken by moral decline and how circumstances influence some individuals to resort to taking laws into their own hands due to a lack of faith in the system.
It is indeed, a socio-political conscious novel that delves deep into the human side of justice and morality, exploring the consequences of corruption, abuse of power, and apathy. The twists of events and thrilling action-filled story of Straus Nimble as well as his morality being put to test by circumstances in life, challenges readers to pursue justice not just as a legal concept but as a moral and civic duty.
More specific, the novel explores criminality as not simply black and white; it is influenced by poverty, political manipulation, and dysfunctional systems.
The purpose of these books serve as reminders that, genuine justice must extend beyond mere punishment; it must tackle the fundamental causes of crime.
How Can Nigeria Tackle Systemic Criminality?
Addressing the challenges in Nigeria necessitates a unified effort, political determination, and a transformation of institutions. The proposed solutions should tackle structural, cultural and societal challenges.
1. Strengthening Institutions
- Professionalise and remove political influence from the military, police, EFCC, judiciary, etc.
- Implement consequences regardless of an individual’s status.
- Minimise redundancies and inefficiencies within government operations.
2. Investing in Youth
- Broaden vocational and digital skills training opportunities.
- Support the creative sectors.
- Encourage entrepreneurship through the provision of grants and loans.
3. Community-Level Policing
- Foster trust between the community and law enforcement agencies.
- Utilise trained local personnel for intelligence gathering.
- Promote cooperation rather than instilling fear.
4. Economic Reforms
- Broaden the economy beyond reliance on oil.
- Establish incentives for agriculture, technology, and manufacturing sectors.
- Tackle poverty and unemployment, which are significant contributors to crime.
5. Revive Cultural, Ethical Reorientation & Value Systems
- Initiate nationwide campaigns for moral education.
- Involve religious and traditional institutions in the process.
- Highlight role models who exemplify integrity rather than those who have acquired wealth through unethical means.
6. Technology-Driven Security
- Implement surveillance systems, biometric technologies, and data analysis techniques.
- Safeguard borders through the use of drones and digital surveillance systems.
- Enhance tools for military and police investigations.
7. Literature & Public Dialogue
Works such as “The Rescue” and “More Than Justice,” ought to be included in national discussions.
Through the art of storytelling, Nigerians can face difficult realities, reflect, and envision a more promising society. Literature serves as one of the most potent instruments for awakening the conscience. At a time like this, when deterioration of institutions and national morality is at stake, the journey towards national revival and healing can only commence when we confront uncomfortable realities, insist on accountability, reform ethical standards, and provide youth with alternatives to criminal behavior.
“The Rescue,” and “More Than Justice,” serve as both cautionary tales and guiding lights. Through fiction, they reveal our true selves and the potential we possess.
Nigeria can indeed be saved.
True justice is attainable.
But this can only be realised when we collectively agree that criminality is not our fate.
