As Nigeria marked its 65th Independence anniversary, voices of discontent overshadowed celebrations, with activists warning that the country is facing deep political, economic, and social decline.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Director of the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, described Nigeria as “haemorrhaging,” accusing government officials of painting false pictures of reform and stability while millions of citizens endure poverty, repression, and insecurity.
“Sixty-five years after independence, the hope of Nigeria’s founding fathers for unity, prosperity, and dignity has given way to frustration.
“Anniversaries now remind citizens of unfulfilled promises and a nation still struggling to define its destiny,” the statement read.
CHRICED lamented that institutions established to protect and serve the people have been weakened by complicity and political capture.
According to him, this failure has bred impunity and silence, which they described not as peace, but as abandonment and betrayal.
CHRICED Boss urged Nigerians to move beyond “passive hope” and embrace courageous, collective action to restore democracy, justice, and accountability in the country.
Below is the full text of the press release
Nigeria at 65: A Nation at the Brink
State of the Nation Address by Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), October 2, 2025 – Gwarinpa, FCT, Abuja
Introduction: The Silence That Screams
Distinguished members of the press, civil society, and fellow Nigerians—Happy 65th Independence Anniversary.
Today, we do not gather to celebrate. We gather to confront a painful truth: Nigeria is haemorrhaging—politically, economically, and socially. While government propagandists spin tales of reform, stability, and progress, the lived reality for millions is one of repression, poverty, and fear.
Sixty-five years after independence, the hope of Nigeria’s founding fathers for unity, prosperity, and dignity has given way to frustration, as anniversaries now remind citizens of unfulfilled promises and a nation still struggling to define its destiny.
The dream of democracy, prosperity, and justice is being eclipsed by a rising tide of impunity and neglect. Institutions meant to protect and serve the people have fallen silent, paralysed by complicity or captured by power.
This silence is not peace. It is abandonment. It is betrayal. The time for passive hope has passed. The time for courageous, collective action is now.
Democracy in Retreat: Governance Replaced by Gamesmanship
Barely two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria’s democratic promise is being eclipsed by political opportunism.
Governance has been sidelined in favour of premature electioneering, with ministers and governors prioritizing campaign rallies over crisis response. This blatant violation of the Electoral Act continues unchecked, while INEC—the body constitutionally mandated to enforce electoral laws, remains disturbingly silent.
Weaponizing Institutions: The ordeal of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, excluded from legislative processes despite valid court orders, exemplifies the systemic silencing of dissent, particularly against women and marginalized groups. Her case is not an anomaly; it is a warning.
Opposition Under Siege: Security agencies have recently clamped down on the PDP and ADC secretariats, preventing them from holding lawful meetings.
Meanwhile, APC governors in Edo and Benue had issued unconstitutional bans against Peter Obi, a prominent opposition figure. These actions are not governance, they are intimidation tactics that threaten Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Abuja’s Indigenous Peoples: The original inhabitants of Abuja remain politically stateless and economically dispossessed.
Their ancestral lands are seized without compensation, their homes demolished, and their voices erased from national discourse. This is not just exclusion, it is erasure.
Judiciary in Crisis: Justice Barricaded
Nigerians are sounding the alarm over the deepening crisis within the judiciary, a branch once revered as the last hope of the common man. Today, that hope is increasingly fading.
Widespread reports of corruption, bribery, and systemic inefficiencies have eroded public confidence. Judicial impartiality is increasingly threatened by financial dependence and political interference, turning courts into instruments of power rather than pillars of justice.
Delayed Justice: Cases linger for years without resolution, denying citizens timely redress and emboldening impunity.
Bought Verdicts: Allegations of judges accepting inducements to sway rulings have become disturbingly common.
Political Capture: The judiciary is no longer immune to executive influence. High-profile cases involving politically exposed persons are stalled, diluted, or dismissed under questionable circumstances.
The recent Auditor-General’s report revealing ₦197 billion lost to fraudulent contracts underscores the judiciary’s failure to hold corrupt actors accountable. Instead of serving as a check on abuse, the courts are increasingly seen as complicit.
Justice in Nigeria is no longer blind, it is barricaded behind walls of influence, delay, and silence.
State Creation as Distraction
CHRICED again reiterates that the National Assembly’s proposal to create 31 new states, raising the total from 36 to 67, is a dangerous diversion. At a time of hyperinflation, mass unemployment, and insecurity, this move reeks of political opportunism.
Yet one proposal deserves genuine support: the recognition of Abuja as Nigeria’s 37th state. This would restore dignity, land rights, and political representation to its indigenous peoples, long denied their rightful place in the federation.
Economy: Poverty in the Midst of Plenty
Nigeria’s economic indicators are no longer abstract figures, they are the lived realities of hunger, despair, and broken dreams. Today, the nation grapples with:
Inflation as at August 2025 is 20.4% after rebasing but the figure doesn’t reflect current economic realities in the market
Exchange Rate: ₦1,501.45 to the dollar
Monetary Policy Rate: 27.5%
These numbers reflect a country in economic freefall. Over 130 million Nigerians remain trapped in multidimensional poverty. Youth unemployment exceeds 40%, leaving a generation disillusioned and idle. Yet, corruption flourishes in high places.
Recent media reports have unveiled grave allegations of financial misconduct involving the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and his spouse, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike of the Court of Appeal.
If substantiated, these charges, ranging from asset concealment to lavish foreign property acquisitions—could constitute one of the most egregious breaches of public trust in recent memory.
Three luxury lakeside properties in Winter Springs, Florida, valued at over $6 million, allegedly transferred to their children between 2021 and 2023
Diversion of $300 million earmarked for the Ogoni land clean-up into private ventures, including a supermarket chain and luxury vehicles
Despite the gravity of these allegations, the Tinubu administration and anti-corruption agencies have remained conspicuously silent. In any accountable democracy, such officials would be suspended pending thorough investigation. But in Nigeria, impunity reigns.
Other systemic failures include:
Phantom Projects: ICPC uncovered a hospital project paid for five times—with nothing built.
Ghost Workers: Pension contributions exceeding ₦20 billion siphoned into fake accounts.
Debt Without Development: Public debt now exceeds ₦90 trillion, yet roads, hospitals, and schools remain dilapidated.
Luxury Governance: While citizens are asked to “sacrifice,” the elite flaunt wealth—private jets, billion-naira convoys, and opulence.
Taxation Without Relief: Fuel subsidies are gone, electricity tariffs have tripled, and new levies are introduced monthly—without infrastructure, safety nets, or accountability.
Wage Inequality: A senator earns over ₦31 million monthly; a civil servant earns less than ₦70,000. Yet both families shop in the same markets. This disparity is not just unjust—it is wicked and unsustainable.
Questionable Social Investment: ₦330 billion in direct cash transfers were disbursed with no transparent breakdown. Worse, this was funded by an $800 million World Bank loan. While Ethiopia built the Grand Renaissance Dam, Nigeria borrowed nearly a billion dollars for handouts that vanished in weeks.
Banking Sector: Profits Over People
Nigeria’s banking sector has become complicit in driving poverty, corruption, and underdevelopment. Key Facts are that: in 2023 alone, there were ₦14.18 trillion in legal claims against seven major banks, including Access Holdings, Zenith Bank, and UBA.
And in 2024, there was $10.7 million in fines realised from the banking sector for violations including anti-money laundering failures and foreign exchange breaches—a 6,000% increase from the previous year.
Profit vs. Public Trust:
Banks in Nigeria declare record profits not from genuine investment, but from:
Excessive and opaque customer charges
Preferential access to government funds
Alleged facilitation of money laundering for politically exposed persons
A financial system that enriches the few while impoverishing the many is a threat to national stability.
Social Breakdown: Fear, Division, and Violence
Nigeria faces a deepening crisis marked by insecurity, systemic neglect of health and education, and widespread social breakdown. Urgent reforms and coordinated action are needed to restore safety, dignity, and opportunity.
Insecurity and Social Breakdown
Widespread violence and fear: Armed groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to terrorize communities, especially in the North-East, leading to mass displacement and loss of lives.
Banditry and kidnappings are rampant in states like Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, and Plateau. Highways and villages are frequently attacked, creating a climate of fear. Farmer-herder clashes over land and resources have escalated, causing significant casualties and destruction.
Armed robbery and police failures, as seen in the tragic death of an ARISE News TV Broadcaster, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, highlight the breakdown of law enforcement and public safety.
Impact on education:
Insecurity has forced the closure of hundreds of schools, especially in Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger states. Many children now live in fear or have dropped out entirely.
UNICEF reports that insecurity has disrupted education for over 3 million children, with some estimates suggesting up to 5 million affected.
Health Sector Crisis
Underfunding and brain drain:
Nigeria allocates only 4–6% of its annual budget to health—far below the 15% Abuja Declaration benchmark.
The “Japa syndrome” continues to drain medical talent, with doctors leaving for better opportunities abroad.
Primary healthcare facilities are neglected, with obsolete equipment and poor infrastructure making the system unsafe for patients.
Nigeria remains ill-prepared for public health emergencies, relying heavily on medical tourism due to lack of domestic capacity.
Education Sector Breakdown
Chronic neglect and inequality:
Nigeria allocates less than 10% of its budget to education, far below UNESCO’s recommended 15–20%.
Over 20 million children are out of school, the highest figure globally.
Classrooms are overcrowded, especially in the North, with some holding up to 280 pupils.
Many schools lack qualified teachers, basic infrastructure, and learning materials.
Strikes and instability:
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued ultimatums over unpaid salaries and unfulfilled agreements.
Frequent industrial actions have disrupted tertiary education, further weakening human capital development.
Systematic Harassment of Journalists and Activists
Independent journalism and activism are under siege. Investigative reporters face arbitrary arrests, threats, and surveillance.
In 2024 alone, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented over 70 cases of harassment and detention of media professionals in Nigeria.
Newsrooms have been raided, equipment confiscated, and journalists charged with “cyberstalking” under the controversial Cybercrime Act, a law increasingly used to muzzle critical voices.
One of the most glaring examples is the relentless persecution of activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters.
His prosecution for allegedly calling President Tinubu a “criminal” has become a national spectacle. Despite multiple court orders, Sowore remains entangled in a legal quagmire designed to exhaust and silence him.
His case is emblematic of a broader strategy: divert public attention from Nigeria’s urgent security and economic crises by targeting outspoken critics.
Criminalization of Civic Freedoms
Peaceful protests are now treated as acts of rebellion. During the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations, security forces allegedly killed at least 24 protesters across Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Borno, Niger, and Kaduna.
Many others were tortured, arbitrarily detained, and charged with trumped-up offenses such as “terrorism” or “incitement.” These tactics are not isolated, they reflect a deliberate policy of shrinking civic space to consolidate power.
Human Rights Under Assault
According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), over 275,000 complaints of human rights abuses were recorded in May 2025 alone.
The majority involved extrajudicial killings, unlawful detentions, and suppression of peaceful assembly. These figures are not just statistics, they are stories of lives disrupted, voices silenced, and futures stolen.
Targeting Civil Society Organizations
Civil society organizations (CSOs), long the backbone of democratic accountability, are now being branded as “foreign agents” or “security threats.” Funding sources are scrutinized, offices raided, and staff intimidated.
In March 2025, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) introduced new reporting requirements that many CSOs described as “punitive and deliberately opaque,” aimed at stifling operations and discouraging advocacy.
The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) itself has faced surveillance and threats for its outspoken stance on governance failures. Yet we remain undeterred.
The erosion of civic space is not just an attack on organizations, it is an attack on every Nigerian’s right to speak, organize, and demand accountability.
Weaponizing the Law
Legal instruments are being twisted into tools of repression. The Terrorism Prevention Act, Cybercrime Act, and Public Order Act are routinely invoked to arrest protesters, ban rallies, and shut down online platforms.
The judiciary, once a bulwark against tyranny, is increasingly compromised. Cases involving human rights violations are delayed indefinitely, while politically motivated prosecutions are fast-tracked.
When civic space shrinks, tyranny expands. When voices are silenced, injustice thrives.
CHRICED’s Call to Action: From Silence to Substance
Silence is complicity. Nigeria cannot afford to drift further into chaos. The time for principled, decisive action is now.
CHRICED calls on all stakeholders, citizens, institutions, and leaders, to rise to the moment with courage and clarity:
End Premature Campaigning: INEC must uphold the Electoral Act by halting illegal political activities and restoring focus to governance.
Implement Electoral Reform: Revive and enact the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee recommendations to rebuild public trust in our democratic processes.
Reforming security architecture to protect lives and restore trust.
Upgrading health and education infrastructure, especially in rural areas.
Increasing budgetary allocations to meet international benchmarks.
Protect Civic Space: Cease the harassment of journalists, activists, and civil society organizations. Democracy cannot thrive under intimidation.
Investigate Corruption Without Fear or Favour: Every allegation—no matter how high-profile, must be transparently investigated, including those involving Minister Nyesom Wike and Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike. No sacred cows.
Empower Youth at the Local Level: Invest in youth leadership and entrepreneurship at the grassroots to drive inclusive development and restore hope.
Justice for Abuja’s Indigenous Peoples: Create Abuja State to end political statelessness. In the interim, establish the Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission to safeguard the cultural, socio-economic, and political rights of FCT’s original inhabitants.
Cut the Cost of Governance: Fully implement the Oronsaye Report to eliminate waste, duplication, and excess in public spending.
Convene a National Dialogue: Launch a genuine, inclusive conversation on insecurity, hate speech, and tribalism to heal divisions and chart a shared future.
Reform the Judiciary: Restore integrity, independence, and public confidence in the courts. Justice must be blind—not bought.
Ensure Sustainable Social Investment: Replace short-term handouts with transparent, impactful programmes that empower communities and build resilience.
Pursue a Genuine Anti-Corruption Agenda: Move beyond slogans. Enforce consequences. Demonstrate political will. Let justice be seen and felt.
Conclusion: Rise in Resolve
Nigeria stands at a precipice. The choices we make today will determine whether we descend into chaos or rise to reclaim our democracy and dignity.
CHRICED remains unwavering in its mission, to speak truth to power, defend human rights, and mobilize citizens for a better Nigeria.
Democracy is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. When it dies, tyranny thrives. Let us rise, not in anger, but in resolve. Let us demand accountability, justice, and inclusion. The future of our nation depends not on the courage of a few, but on the conscience of us all.
Thank you.
