logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
10m 15s

Nigeria's 'War Against Indiscipline'

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Muhammadu Buhari's military government launched an unusual campaign to clean up Nigeria in August 1984. Under the policy, Nigerians were forced to queue in an orderly manner, to be punctual and to obey traffic laws. The punishments for infractions could be brutal. Veteran Nigerian journalist Sola Odunfa spoke to Alex Last about the reaction in Lagos to the War Against Indiscipline.

This programme is a rebroadcast.

Photo: The Oshodi district of Lagos, 2008 (AFP/Getty Images)

Up next
Today
How BRICS got its name
In 2001, a few months after 9/11, economist Jim O’Neill was working at Goldman Sachs when he wrote a report about which countries might become big players in the world economy. That’s when he came up with the name BRIC - short for Brazil, Russia, India and China. At first, nothin ... Show More
9m 55s
Yesterday
Japan surrenders in Beijing
Eighty years ago, in the autumn of 1945, World War II surrender ceremonies took place across the Japanese Empire.The one in China was held at the Forbidden City in Beijing bringing an end to eight years of occupation. Thousands of people watched the incredible moment Japanese gen ... Show More
10m 12s
Oct 8
The remote island that was evacuated to 10,000km away
On 10 October 1961, a volcanic eruption threatened the population of Tristan da Cunha, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, and all 264 islanders were evacuated to the UK. Two years later, the majority voted to return. In an interview she gave to the BBC in 1961, M ... Show More
10m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
Why has Nigeria failed to deal with recurrent violence?
Hundreds of people have been killed and injured in attacks by armed groups in Plateau State in Nigeria. What are the root causes of this violence? And what does it mean for Nigeria's future? Join host Laura Kyle. Guests: Isa Sanusi - Nigeria Country Director at Amnesty Internatio ... Show More
24m 41s
Mar 2023
Nigeria's battle against bandits
In the last few years, powerful criminal gangs have terrorised a swathe of north west and central Nigeria. From camps in the forest, gangs of bandits on motorbikes have attacked villages killing and kidnapping men, women and children. So how can Nigeria's new leader restore secur ... Show More
26m 28s
Jul 2021
Is Nigeria becoming impossible to govern?
The kidnapping of at least 140 schoolchildren in the north-west of Nigeria is the latest crime to shake a country already struggling to contain militants in the north and separatists in the south. Add to this young protesters on the streets amid rising food prices and crime and t ... Show More
23m 41s
Oct 2021
12 months on from ‘End SARS’ where does Nigeria stand?
One year ago frustration with police brutality in Nigeria boiled over into massive street demonstrations. Much of the anger was directed at the notorious Special Anti Robbery Squad - or SARS. And soon the slogan “End SARS” was being heard around the world. So, where does Nigeria ... Show More
18m 22s
Feb 2023
Nigeria at a turning point
At a time when global democracy is under pressure, this month’s elections in Nigeria could prove critical. Africa’s largest economy is at a turning point, with the population growing and getting younger, and the results there could have a major impact globally. One of Nigeria’s b ... Show More
55 m
Nov 2021
What does the Lekki toll gate report mean for Nigeria?
A leaked report by an inquiry panel found that Nigerian armed forces shot and killed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in October 2020. The report refers to the incident as a massacre. But Nigeria’s information minister Lai Mohammed has dismissed the report as a ‘triumph ... Show More
14m 17s
Dec 2020
Nigeria’s #EndSARS Movement
In October, Nigerians took to the streets to protest against police brutality in the #EndSARS campaign. SARS is the Special Anti Robbery Squad is a Nigerian police unit specialising in combating violent crimes ranging from robbery to kidnapping. However, they have been accused of ... Show More
59m 30s
Feb 2024
The bandit kidnap crisis in Nigeria
Nigeria is struggling with a kidnapping epidemic. Every year hundreds of people are abducted and held for ransom. The kidnap crisis hit the headlines ten years ago when the Chibok school girls were snatched by Boko Haram militants - but now, arguably, the problem has got worse. W ... Show More
14m 3s
Dec 2023
Nigerians react to free train rides and reduced bus fares
The Nigerian government is providing free train rides and a 50% reduction in public bus fares over the festive period. So, what's been the reaction from Nigerians? Also with a series of coups and major civil unrests across Africa, we are asking if democratic gains made over the l ... Show More
33m 15s