Editorial
Public Service And Transformation Agenda
In June, last year, two epoch-making events were convoked to fashion the direction of public service in Nigeria. The first was the 41st Conference of Civil Service Commissions in the federation which held in Port Harcourt, between Thursday, June 7 through Saturday, June 9, 2012.
The second was in observance of the Annual Public Service Day, in keeping with the Tangier Declaration that set aside June 23, every year to celebrate the service. Nigeria also marked the day.
The two major events clearly underscore the importance of the public service as the pivot around which government business revolves. The theme of the Port Harcourt event in particular, “The Transformation Agenda and the Public Service in Nigeria,” indeed sought to strike a synergy with the policy direction of the federal government.
It was no surprise therefore, that contributions and eventual resolutions from the conference emphasised, among others, the need for the service to outline imperatives for transformation, key among which are: promotion of effective communication; adherence to rules and Good work – ethics; intergrity and dignity, proacative decisions and indeed expert advice to the political leadership at all times. The others include enabling sub ordinates to key into the reforms and transformations of the federal government and most importantly, the need to create harmonious work relationships with political office holders who may lack knowledge of the operations of the public service.
Like the Port Harcourt event, the June 23 Public Service Day observance in Abuja also built its theme, “Capacity Development for the implementation of the Transformation Agenda,” in tandem with popular expectations of that important service sector.
It was therefore not surprising that Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan seized the opportunity of the Dinner and Awards nite of the 2012 Public Service Day at the Presidential Villa to promise that his administration would improve the capacity of the Public Service with a view to making it a fulcrum for development in the country.
While inviting the Public Service to join in the transformation Agenda of his administration, President Jonathan said Vice President Namadi Sambo and himself only could not do everything and called on all Nigerians to join in saving the country of corrupt practices.
For some reasons, whenever the Public Service is mentioned the issue of corruption is brought up. It is said that the Public Service is the cause of corruption in Nigeria. Even against the cry of Public Servants, some people believe that even the politicians are taught to be corrupt by the Public Servants.
While we do not want to contend with those arguments, we think that assertion makes clear the point that corruption may be very deep in the Public Service. Also obvious is the fact that successive governments in the country have failed to do enough to change the situation.
We think that the Public Service is too important to be left un-protected from corruption. As the engine-room of government activities, the Public Service cannot effectively set standards, enforce rules and meet the dynamic needs of society, if corruption is allowed to dictate its pace.
It is not enough to cry woe and occasionally promise to address the problem of the Public Service, someone needs to confront the issue consciously with a view to salvaging the service. Indeed, if this administration hopes to transform Nigeria, it must first transform the Public Service.
Like the Federal Government, some states have promised to improve the capacity of the Public Service, yet the service is not ICT-compliant uptil now. States like Rivers State actually started a process of reforming the service but whether the real issues in the service would be the ones that would be addressed remains to be seen.
While we cannot hold brief for the Public Service over corrupt practices, poor service delivery, indiscipline and lack of commitment, Nigeria cannot expect to reap from where it had not sown. A country where the only thing that seems to happen is politics cannot do much for her Public Service.
Apart from intimidating the service to the level of servitude, successive governments fail to note that if the Public Service is not better than the private sector, governance would be worse for it. The country need not expect much from a Public Service used, principally, to provide employment instead of facilitate governance.
Also laughable is the conditions of service in the Public Service. Apart from the poor remuneration regime, the average Public Servant has no access to housing, reliable transportation and affordable healthcare. Anyone whose future is not guaranteed, but is exposed to public resource, the temptation can be too much.
If the worker has nothing to lose by way of housing or any other benefit he/she would enjoy at the end of a meritorious service, the worker may not be very productive and would not care how low he/she gets to be relevant in the society. Even those that served well as Public Servants in those days did so because, housing and welfare of the staff were guaranteed.
Only recently, Public Servants were to be paid a new National Minimum Wage and the subject was politicised and manipulated. After claims of harmonisation and the implementation of a new wage many are still asking if what happened was the much talked about new wage.
Till now even some of the rich states have failed to do right or complete the payment of the harmonisation arrears. Under the above circumstance, how can any serious minded people expect any miracle from the Public Service. Sadly, the prospect of receiving their due pension even on retirement is still an issue. Having not received housing loan to build for themselves before retirement, an average Public Servant fears to retire. Clearly, Nigeria can do better.
Editorial
Benue Killings: Beyond Tinubu’s Visit

The recent massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, ranks among Nigeria’s deadliest attacks of
2025. While official figures put the death toll at 59, media reports and Amnesty International estimate between 100 and 200 fatalities. This atrocity extends a decade-long pattern of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where Beacon Security data records 1,043 deaths in Benue alone between May 2023 and May 2025.
President Tinubu’s visit on 18 June—four days after the 14 June attack—has drawn sharp criticism for its lateness. This delay echoes a history of inadequate responses, with Human Rights Watch documenting similar inaction in Plateau and Kaduna states since 2013, fuelling a culture of impunity. The attack lasted over two hours without meaningful security intervention, despite claims of swift action.
The violence bore hallmarks of genocide, with survivors recounting systematic house burnings and executions. More than 2.2 million people have been displaced in the region since 2019 due to comparable attacks. Data show Benue’s agricultural output falls by 0.21 per cent in crops and 0.31 per cent in livestock for every 1 per cent rise in violence.
Security forces continue to underperform. No arrests were made following the Easter attacks in April (56 killed) or May’s Gwer West massacre (42 killed). During his visit, Tinubu questioned publicly why no suspects had been detained four days after Yelewata, highlighting entrenched accountability failures.
The roots of the conflict are complex, with climate change pushing northern herders south and 77 per cent of Benue’s population reliant on agriculture. A Tiv community leader described the violence as “calculated land-grabbing” rather than mere clashes, with over 500 deaths recorded since 2019.
Government interventions have largely fallen short. The 2018 federal task force and 2025 Forest Guards initiative failed to curb violence. Tinubu’s newly announced committee of ex-governors and traditional rulers has been met with scepticism given the litany of past unkept promises.
The economic fallout is severe. Benue’s status as Nigeria’s “food basket” is crumbling as farms are destroyed and farmers displaced. This worsens the nation’s food crisis, with hunger surges in 2023-2024 directly linked to farming disruptions caused by insecurity.
Citizens demanding justice have been met with force; protesters faced police tear gas, and the State Assembly conceded total failure in safeguarding lives, admitting that the governor, deputy, and 32 lawmakers had all neglected their constitutional responsibilities.
The massacre has drawn international condemnation. Pope Leo XIV decried the “terrible massacre,” while the UN called for an investigation. The hashtag “200 Nigerians” trended worldwide on X, with many contrasting Nigeria’s slow response to India’s swift action following a plane crash with similar fatalities.
Nigeria’s centralised security system is clearly overwhelmed. A single police force is tasked with covering 36 states and 774 local government areas for a population exceeding 200 million. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, 29,828 killings and 15,404 kidnappings were recorded nationally. Proposals for state police, floated since January 2025, remain stalled.
Other populous nations offer alternative models. Canada’s provincial police, India’s state forces, and Indonesia’s municipal units demonstrate the effectiveness of decentralised policing. Nigeria’s centralised structure creates intelligence and response gaps, worsened by the distance—both physical and bureaucratic—from Abuja to affected communities.
The immediate aftermath is dire: 21 IDP camps in Benue are overwhelmed, and a humanitarian crisis is deepening. The State Assembly declared three days of mourning (18-20 June), but survivors lack sufficient medical aid. Tragically, many of those killed were already displaced by earlier violence.
A lasting solution requires a multi-pronged approach, including targeted security deployment, regulated grazing land, and full enforcement of Benue’s 2017 Anti-Open Grazing Law. The National Economic Council’s failure to prioritise state police in May 2025 represents a missed chance for reform.
Without decisive intervention, trends suggest conditions will worsen. More than 20,000 Nigerians have been killed and 13,000 kidnapped nationwide in 2025 alone. As Governor Hyacinth Alia stressed during Tinubu’s visit, state police may be the only viable path forward. All 36 states have submitted proposals supporting decentralisation—a crucial step towards breaking Nigeria’s vicious cycle of violence.
Editorial
Responding To Herders’ Threat In Rivers

Editorial
Democracy Day: So Far…

Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 marked a watershed moment in the nation’s political history. After enduring nearly 16 years of successive military dictatorships, Nigerians embraced a new era of civil governance with the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999. Since then, the country has sustained a democratic system for 26 years. But, this democratic journey has been a complex mix of progress and persistent challenges.
The formal recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged a long-standing injustice. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Nigeria’s freest, betrayed the democratic aspirations of millions. That it took decades to honour this date reflects the nation’s complex relationship with its democratic memory.
One of the most momentous successes of Nigeria’s democracy has been the uninterrupted civilian rule over the last two and a half decades. The country has witnessed seven general elections, with power transferring peacefully among different political parties. This is particularly notable considering that prior to 1999, no civilian government had completed a full term without military intervention. The peaceful transitions in 2007, 2015, and 2023 are testaments to Nigeria’s evolving democratic maturity.
Electoral participation, while uneven, has also reflected a level of democratic engagement. In 2003, voter turnout stood at about 69 per cent, but this figure dropped to approximately 34.75 per cent in 2023, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Although the declining turnout raises concerns, it also highlights the increasing expectations of the electorate, who demand credible and transparent elections.
Another area of progress is the growth of a vibrant and free press. Nigerian media has played a crucial role in holding governments accountable and fostering public discourse. Investigative journalism and civil society activism have exposed corruption and human rights abuses. The rise of social media has further expanded the democratic space, enabling young Nigerians to mobilise and advocate for change, as evidenced by the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Judicial independence has seen mixed results. On one hand, the judiciary has occasionally demonstrated resilience, such as in landmark rulings that overturned fraudulent elections or curtailed executive excesses. On the other hand, allegations of political interference and corruption within the judiciary persist, undermining public confidence in the legal system’s impartiality.
Nigeria’s democracy has also facilitated the decentralisation of power through the federal system. State governments now wield some autonomy, allowing for experimentation in governance and service delivery. While this has led to innovative policies in some states, it has also entrenched patronage networks and uneven development across the federation.
Despite these successes, Nigeria’s democratic journey faces formidable problems. Electoral integrity remains a critical concern. Reports from election observers, including those from the European Union and ECOWAS, frequently highlight issues such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and violence. The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results in 2023 elections showed promise, but technical glitches and alleged manipulations dampened public trust.
Corruption continues to be a pervasive issue. Nigeria ranks 145th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 25/100. Democratic institutions meant to check graft—such as anti-corruption agencies and the legislature—often struggle due to political interference and weak enforcement mechanisms.
Security challenges have also strained Nigeria’s democracy. Insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, separatist agitations in the South East, and herder-farmer conflicts across the Middle Belt have collectively resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024, Nigeria ranks as the eighth most impacted country by terrorism. The government’s difficulty in ensuring safety erodes public confidence in the state’s capacity and legitimacy.
The economy poses another critical remonstrance. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita stands at approximately $2,400 as of 2024, with over 40 per cent of the population living below the national poverty line. High unemployment and inflation have fueled discontent and disillusionment with democratic governance, especially among youth. Without addressing economic grievances, the democratic dividend will remain elusive for many Nigerians.
Ethnic and religious divisions further complicate Nigeria’s democratic consolidation. Politicians often exploit identity politics for electoral gains, exacerbating social tensions. Although federal character principles aim to promote inclusiveness, they have also sometimes fostered a quota mentality rather than merit-based appointments.
Gender representation remains inadequate in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Women occupy less than 10 per cent of seats in the National Assembly, one of the lowest rates globally. Efforts to pass gender parity bills have faced stiff resistance, highlighting deep-seated cultural and institutional barriers to female political participation.
Civil liberties, while constitutionally guaranteed, are under threat. Crackdowns on protesters, restrictions on press freedom, and surveillance of activists reveal an authoritarian streak within the democratic framework. The controversial Twitter ban in 2021 exemplified the country’s willingness to curb digital freedoms, prompting domestic and international criticism.
The political crisis in Rivers State embodies broader democratic struggles. Attempts to control the state through undemocratic means expose weaknesses in federal institutions and the rule of law. Immediate restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State is vital to preserving Nigeria’s democratic integrity and institutional credibility.
Local governments remain under the control of state governors, depriving citizens of grassroots democracy. Last year’s Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is promising, but state-level resistance threatens its implementation. Genuine autonomy would bring governance closer to the people and foster democratic innovation.
As we mark Democracy Day, we must honour the sacrifices of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Femi Falana, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pa Alfred Rewane, President Bola Tinubu, and countless others, who fought for Nigeria’s freedom. As democracy in Nigeria continues to evolve after 26 years, this day should inspire action toward its renewal. With despotism and state failure as real threats, both citizens and leaders must take responsibility—citizens by demanding more, and leaders by delivering. Excuses are no longer acceptable.