NGScorecard

The 31 December 1983 takeover was justified as ending an 'inept and corrupt' civilian leadership; the regime committed to prosecuting graft and instilling public discipline.

About 500 politicians, officials and businessmen of the Second Republic were tried before military tribunals for corruption in 20 months, some drawing very long sentences. But detainees could buy release on terms, the tribunals offered no proper defence rights, and the campaign was widely seen as selective — heavier on the NPP/UPN opposition than on NPN allies.

Launched the War Against Indiscipline on 20 March 1984 to enforce queuing, punctuality, environmental sanitation and 'work ethic' nationwide.

WAI did change some public habits in the short term — orderly bus queues, monthly sanitation — but it was enforced by soldiers with whips and humiliations (late civil servants made to do 'frog jumps'), carried grossly disproportionate penalties, and faded once the regime fell.

Committed to stabilising a crisis economy through home-grown austerity rather than accept IMF terms — chiefly a demanded ~60% naira devaluation.

The regime refused the IMF loan and imposed its own austerity: a public-sector hiring freeze, halted capital projects, a 15% import cut, higher interest rates, counter-trade and price controls. Around 200,000 civil servants were retrenched. Inflation eased but output and living standards fell, and the debt problem was left unresolved — a key grievance cited by the officers who overthrew him.