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Taking Stock of Military Reform in Nigeria

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Book cover The Politics of Military Reform

Part of the book series: Global Power Shift ((GLOBAL))

Abstract

This chapter will explore the nature and depth of military reforms since Nigeria’s last democratic transition in 1999. Reforming civil-military relations in the largest West African country was inevitable, if the military’s decision to hand over power to civilians after the unexpected death of military dictator Gen. Sani Abacha on 8 June 1998 was genuine. Doubts about the military’s sincerity indeed lingered at the time as the Nigerian military had a record of not honouring transition promises. The last attempt to civilianize Nigerian politics ended with the annulment of the presidential elections of 12 June 1993 by Gen. Babangida. The decision paved the way to power for Gen. Abacha, who toppled a weak interim government installed by outgoing President Babangida and subsequently sought to perpetuate his repressive rule with the support of the armed forces. These legacies raise the question of how deep and lasting the new Nigerian democratic order and the military’s political abstinence are.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For slightly different, but in the general tendency, similar figures, see Adejumobi (2002, p. 170) and Nwanko (2003, p. 48).

  2. 2.

    Tell, 3 May 1999, pp. 18–22.

  3. 3.

    Tell, 21 April 2008.

  4. 4.

    Authors’ interviews with retired military officers at a Roundtable in Jos, 5 March, 2009.

  5. 5.

    Tell, 25 January 1999, pp. 16–19.

  6. 6.

    The News, 29 June 1998, pp. 11–17; Tell, 25 January 1999, pp. 16–19.

  7. 7.

    Tell, 25 January 1999, pp. 16–19.

  8. 8.

    Tell, 25 January 1999, pp. 16–19.

  9. 9.

    Newswatch, 14 September 1998.

  10. 10.

    The Guardian, 27 November 1998, p. 11; Newswatch, 31 August 1998, pp. 17–19.

  11. 11.

    The Guardian, 13 May 1999, p.1.

  12. 12.

    Nigeria is sub-divided into six major geo-political zones, among which political posts in the federation are shared: Southwest, Southeast, South-South, Northeast, Northwest, North-Central geo-political zones.

  13. 13.

    Newswatch, 7 June 1999, pp. 52–54.

  14. 14.

    Newswatch, 12 October 1998, p. 15.

  15. 15.

    Newswatch 3 August 1998, pp. 8–14.

  16. 16.

    Including the release of the former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo on 9 June 1998, but for undisclosed reasons not the winner of the 1993 presidential elections Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

  17. 17.

    Newswatch, 21 September 1998, pp. 16–17.

  18. 18.

    Vanguard, 10 May 1999, p. 3; The Guardian, 29 May1999, p. 2.

  19. 19.

    This Day, 21 October 2001, p. 30.

  20. 20.

    Tobi Committee was composed of a number of 25 members appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council.

  21. 21.

    Tell, 9 August 1999, pp. 20–23.

  22. 22.

    Vanguard, 21 June 1999, p. 1.

  23. 23.

    The Punch, 5 May.1999, p. 6.

  24. 24.

    This Day, 15 April 1999, p. 10.

  25. 25.

    The Guardian, 2 December 1998, p. 8.

  26. 26.

    The Guardian, 28 May 1999, p. 3.

  27. 27.

    The Guardian, 16 April 1999, p. 1.

  28. 28.

    Tony Lloyd, the British deputy minister for African affairs at that time, who met Gen. Abubakar shortly after his appointment on 27 June 1998, conveyed the EU message that sanctions would be eased only if political changes take place. See Newswatch, 13 July 1998.

  29. 29.

    See Tell, 17 May 1999, pp. 21–25.

  30. 30.

    Tell, 28 June 1999, p. 20–29.

  31. 31.

    Daily Times, 11 June 1999, p. 1; Tell, 28 June 1999, pp. 20–29.

  32. 32.

    This Day, 15 April 1999, p. 10; Tell, 13 May 1999, p. 23.

  33. 33.

    The Guardian, 19 August 1999, p. 56.

  34. 34.

    Tell, 16 August 1999, p. 25.

  35. 35.

    Tell, 17 June 2002, p. 26.

  36. 36.

    Newswatch, 17 June 2002, p. 15.

  37. 37.

    Newswatch, 17 June 2002, p. 15.

  38. 38.

    This Day, Sunday Newspaper, 21 October 2001, p. 30.

  39. 39.

    See also (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2000:186).

  40. 40.

    Authors’ interview, 23 February 2009.

  41. 41.

    Tell, 1 July 2002 pp. 30–32; 2 September 2002, pp. 22–29, 16 September 2002, pp. 31–44, 30 September 2002, pp. 22–25; Newswatch, 23 September 2002, pp. 20–29; The Lawmaker, Vol. 6, No. 119, 2nd Half, May, 2005, p. 22.

  42. 42.

    Authors’ interview, 11 September 2008.

  43. 43.

    Leadership, 25 February 2009, p. 35; Daily Independence, 25 February 2009, p. 1. However, by the time this volume goes to print, this bill has not yet been enacted.

  44. 44.

    The Guardian, 20 April 2007, p. 1; This Day, 14 September 2008, p. 115.

  45. 45.

    The Guardian, 3 March 2005, pp. 18–19, 18 November 2008; The Punch, 16 November 2006, p. 7; 17 November 2006, p. 7, 18 November 2006, p. 10, 30 April 2008; Leadership, 4 June 2008 The Lawmaker, Vol. 9, No. 193, 2nd Half June 2008, p. 23; Legislative Digest, Vol. 2, No. 1, July 2008, p. 14; This Day, 14 September 2008, p. 115; Vanguard, 15 September 2008, p. 14.

  46. 46.

    http://www.freedominfo.org/2011/06/nigerian-president-signs-freedom-of-information-bill/ (accessed 23 February 2012).

  47. 47.

    The Guardian, 13 February 2012.

  48. 48.

    Tell, 25 January 2008, pp. 52–53.

  49. 49.

    The Lawmaker, Vol. 9, No. 192, 1st Half June 2008, p. 13.

  50. 50.

    While the figures of the individual reports differ slightly, the relatively minor differences suggest that the reports about the income of legislators are credible. See Tell, 13 May 2002, p. 28.

  51. 51.

    The other countries Omitoogon names are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali (Omitoogon, 2006, p. 258.).

  52. 52.

    Daily Independent, http://www.independentonline.com, downloaded at 12 December 2009.

  53. 53.

    The Guardian, 9 June 2008.

  54. 54.

    Federal Republic of Nigeria, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Votes and Proceedings, Fourth Assembly, 3rd June, 1999 – 8th June, 2000, Tuesday, 1 February 2000; 4. Matter of Urgent Public Importance. Call for Military Intervention, p. 296.

  55. 55.

    See also Tell, 25 June 2007, pp. 43–45. In another instance, Mark was quoted as saying that “If I have my way, I will say whoever does not have military background should not be made president” (Amaike, 2007, p. 192).

  56. 56.

    Tell, May 2007 Supplement, p. 18 and authors’ interview, 2 September 2008.

  57. 57.

    Authors’ interview, 5 March 2009.

  58. 58.

    Authors’ interviews, 10 March 2009 and The Punch, 27 December 2004, p. 20.

  59. 59.

    For the recurring theme of dilapidated barracks, see Tell, 14 May 2001, p. 29 and 21 January 2002, pp. 28–31; Newswatch, 10 June 2002, pp. 48–56; This Day, 3 June 2006; Nigerian Tribune, 20 August 2008, p. 30; Defence Newsletter, June–September 2000, p. 50–51.

  60. 60.

    Author interview, 29 August 2008; Tell, 21 April 2008. See also Okonta (2005, p. 204).

  61. 61.

    For a description of the due process mechanism, see Yoroms (2005, p. 187) and Omitoogun and Oduntan (2006, pp. 164, 177).

  62. 62.

    Authors’ interview, 5 March 2009.

  63. 63.

    Authors’ interview, 2 September 2008.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Maria-Gabriela Manea & Jürgen Rüland

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  1. Maria-Gabriela Manea
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  2. Jürgen Rüland
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Correspondence to Maria-Gabriela Manea .

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  1. Department of Political Science, University of Freiburg, Rempartstraße 15, Freiburg, 79085, Germany

    Jürgen Rüland

  2. Department of Political Science, University of Freiburg, Rempartstraße 15, Freiburg, 79085, Germany

    Maria-Gabriela Manea

  3. Armed Forces (DCAF), Centre for the Democratic Control of, Rue de Chantepoulet 11, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

    Hans Born

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Manea, MG., Rüland, J. (2013). Taking Stock of Military Reform in Nigeria. In: Rüland, J., Manea, MG., Born, H. (eds) The Politics of Military Reform. Global Power Shift. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29624-6_3

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