By
Nze David N. Ugwu
The Silent Killer of Nations
Nothing destroys a nation as quietly—and as completely—as impunity. Not coups. Not wars. Not even poverty.
Impunity is more dangerous because it wears the disguise of normalcy. It creeps in slowly, settles comfortably among the powerful, and eventually becomes the operating system of governance. When impunity takes root, laws still exist, courts still sit, elections still hold—but justice disappears.
Nigeria today is living with the full consequences of impunity. It is the invisible hand behind our broken institutions, our cynical politics, our collapsing public trust, and our growing sense that the country is no longer governed by rules, but by power.
What Impunity Really Means
Impunity is exemption from punishment. It is freedom from the consequences of one’s actions. In practical terms, it means some people can break the law, abuse authority, violate rights, and misuse public resources—and walk away untouched.
In a healthy society, impunity is rare and shocking. In Nigeria, it has become routine.
We have normalized the abnormal. We now expect powerful people to get away with wrongdoing. We are surprised only when accountability happens. That inversion of expectations is the clearest sign that impunity has become institutionalized.
Equality Before the Law: A Constitutional Promise Betrayed
Nigeria’s Constitution promises equality before the law. It envisions a society where rules apply to everyone, regardless of office, title, wealth, or connections.
Reality tells a different story. In Nigeria, the law has two versions:
- One for the powerless
- Another for the powerful
A poor man who steals a goat may spend years in prison. A powerful official who steals billions may be “investigated” indefinitely, negotiate a plea bargain, or return to public office with greater influence. This is not justice. It is a hierarchy of immunity. Examples abound – from former Governors now serving as Ministers to Senators. Most were investigated by the EFCC, some were even tried and convicted, yet they are sitting in the Senate, making laws for the citizens. A typical example of George Orwell’s Animal Farm – “All Animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.
The Dangerous Myth of Presidential Infallibility
One of the most corrosive ideas in Nigeria’s political culture is the belief—sometimes spoken, often implied—that the President can do no wrong.
This belief is not found in the Constitution. It is a political invention, sustained by fear, sycophancy, and the abuse of constitutional immunity.
Presidential immunity was designed to protect governance from frivolous litigation—not to place the President above the law. But in practice, immunity has mutated into impunity.
Court orders are ignored. Due process is bypassed. Controversial policies are enforced despite legal ambiguities and overwhelming public opposition. Dissent is framed as disloyalty.
The recent controversy surrounding disputed tax legislation—allegedly forged, widely criticized, yet forcefully implemented—captures the essence of executive impunity. The insistence that “the law must be implemented as gazetted” regardless of legitimacy, process, or public confidence reveals a troubling truth: legality is being weaponized against accountability. When procedure is compromised, enforcement becomes tyranny.
Selective Justice: The Most Honest Description of Nigerian Law
If there is one phrase that best describes Nigeria’s justice system, it is selective application of the law.
Anti-corruption agencies swing into action when political winds change. Files go cold when suspects become politically useful. Investigations are announced loudly and concluded quietly.
We have watched politicians accused of grand corruption defect to ruling parties and suddenly become saints. We have seen others prosecuted aggressively—not because of justice, but because of politics.
This is not rule of law. It is rule by convenience. And citizens are watching.
Corruption Without Consequences: A National Tragedy
Corruption thrives where there are no consequences. In Nigeria, corruption is not only about stealing money—it is about stealing accountability. It is about knowing that even if caught, the system will protect you.
Trials drag on endlessly. Technicalities triumph over substance. Plea bargains are perceived as rewards, not punishment. Convictions are rare. Recoveries are partial. Shame is absent.
Worse still, many individuals accused of looting public resources are celebrated—conferred with titles, appointed to committees, or treated as political kingmakers.
What message does this send to young Nigerians? That honesty is foolish. That integrity does not pay. That the real crime is being powerless.
Traditional Power and Untouchable Authority
Impunity in Nigeria does not belong exclusively to elected officials. It extends to some traditional rulers and informal power brokers who operate beyond scrutiny.
Land disputes, human rights abuses, electoral interference, and arbitrary punishments are often swept aside when influential traditional figures are involved.
The state looks away. The police hesitate. Victims are silenced. When culture is used to shield injustice, tradition itself becomes corrupted.
Security Agencies and the Normalization of Abuse
Perhaps the most frightening expression of impunity in Nigeria lies with security agencies.
Extrajudicial killings. Unlawful detentions. Torture. Brutality.
Reports are written. Panels are set up. Recommendations are made. Nothing happens.
Impunity in the security sector breeds resentment, radicalization, and rebellion. A state that terrorizes its citizens loses moral authority—and eventually, control.
Why Impunity Persists
Impunity survives in Nigeria because it is useful.
It protects political alliances. It sustains patronage networks. It rewards loyalty over competence. It keeps institutions weak and individuals strong.
It also persists because challenging impunity is dangerous. Whistleblowers are harassed. Journalists are intimidated. Activists are labeled enemies of the state. Fear is its greatest ally.
The Cost of Impunity
The cost of impunity is staggering.
- Rule of law collapses
- Public trust evaporates
- Investors flee unpredictability
- Young people disengage or emigrate
- Ethnic and regional grievances deepen
Most dangerously, impunity teaches citizens that the state is unjust. And when citizens stop believing in justice, they stop believing in the nation. No country survives that loss for long.
Democracy Without Accountability Is a Lie
Elections alone do not make a democracy. Democracy requires restraint. It requires accountability. It requires leaders who obey the same laws they enforce. Without these, democracy becomes elective authoritarianism—a system where leaders gain power through ballots but govern without limits.
Nigeria must decide whether democracy is a ritual or a responsibility.
Breaking the Spell of Impunity
Ending impunity will not be easy—but it is possible. It begins with:
- Strengthening institutions, not personalities
- Enforcing court orders without exception
- Reforming immunity provisions
- Protecting whistleblowers and journalists
- Demanding ethical leadership, not blind loyalty
Most importantly, it requires citizens who refuse to accept injustice as normal.
A Final Warning
History is unforgiving to societies that tolerate impunity. No nation collapses suddenly. They decay slowly—law ignored here, accountability suspended there, power unchecked everywhere—until collapse becomes inevitable.
Nigeria still has a choice. We can continue down the path where power grants permission to break the law.
Or we can reclaim the idea that no one—President or pauper—is above accountability.
One path leads to renewal.
The other leads to ruin.
The difference is courage.
Nze David N. Ugwu is the Managing Consultant of Knowledge Research Consult. He could be reached at [email protected] or +2348037269333.
