By Paul Joseph
One of the most troubling challenges confronting governance in Nigeria today is not the absence of laws, policies or executive directives. Rather, it is the persistent failure to implement and sustain them.
Over the years, successive administrations have responded to national crises with bold declarations, sweeping reforms, executive orders and legislative actions. These announcements are often accompanied by assurances that they will transform governance, improve security and address pressing national concerns.
However, once the public attention fades, many of these policies appear to vanish from practical implementation, leaving citizens wondering whether they were ever meant to be enforced in the first place.
President Bola Tinubu’s recent Children’s Day declaration that kidnappers should be treated as terrorists has once again brought this pattern into national focus.
The statement resonated with many Nigerians who have watched in horror as schoolchildren, farmers, commuters and entire communities continue to suffer from the activities of kidnappers across the country. Yet the declaration also triggered a critical question among observers: Was this not already the law?
On January 5, 2022, the Federal Government under former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, officially gazetted the designation of bandit groups as terrorist organisations.
The declaration, contained in an official government gazette released by the Federal Ministry of Justice, empowered security agencies to treat bandits as terrorists under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws and prohibited individuals or groups from participating in or supporting their activities.
At the time, many Nigerians believed the designation would mark a decisive turning point in the country’s battle against violent criminal networks.
There were expectations of more coordinated military operations, stronger prosecution mechanisms, the disruption of terrorist financing networks and harsher consequences for those aiding or collaborating with armed groups.
Four years later, however, Nigeria continues to witness mass abductions, attacks on schools, killings in rural communities and, in some instances, negotiations with kidnappers.
This disconnect between legal declarations and practical outcomes has left many citizens questioning whether government institutions fully implement the laws and policies they announce.
The designation of bandits as terrorists is not the only example.
Nigeria’s anti-open grazing laws, enacted by several states amid widespread concerns over farmer-herder conflicts, generated intense national debate and promises of strict enforcement. Yet violent clashes between farmers and herders continue to claim lives and destroy livelihoods in many parts of the country.
The Child Rights Act of 2003, enacted to protect children from abuse, exploitation and harmful traditional practices, remains only partially implemented in some parts of the federation more than two decades after its passage.
Similarly, the Freedom of Information Act of 2011 was designed to strengthen transparency and public accountability by granting citizens access to government information. Yet many public institutions continue to ignore information requests despite the legal obligations imposed by the law.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015 was introduced to speed up criminal trials, reduce delays in the justice system and improve access to justice. Nevertheless, prolonged court proceedings and overcrowded correctional facilities remain persistent features of Nigeria’s legal landscape.
Even anti-corruption frameworks have often suffered from inconsistent implementation. New agencies, committees, regulations and initiatives are announced regularly, but enforcement frequently appears selective, raising questions about institutional commitment rather than legislative inadequacy.
The result is a widening credibility gap between government promises and public expectations.
Laws derive their authority not merely from being written in official gazettes or announced at public ceremonies. Their true value lies in consistent enforcement and visible results.
When governments repeatedly announce measures that are already contained in existing laws, citizens inevitably begin to lose confidence in official declarations. Each new promise increasingly sounds less like a solution and more like a reminder of previous commitments that were never fully implemented.
The current kidnapping crisis illustrates this challenge vividly. If bandits were formally designated as terrorists in 2022, many Nigerians are justified in asking whether the full weight of the country’s anti-terrorism laws has truly been deployed against those responsible for mass abductions, attacks on schools and the continued reign of terror in vulnerable communities.
Another major point of concern is Nigeria’s frequent reliance on declarations of states of emergency.
Successive governments have announced states of emergency on various national challenges, including insecurity, food shortages, education and other critical sectors. The Tinubu administration itself has made several emergency declarations aimed at mobilising national action and resources.
Yet, in many instances, these declarations appear to fade from public discourse without clear benchmarks, measurable outcomes or formal conclusions.
In some cases, both government officials and citizens eventually behave as though the declarations never existed. Ironically, fresh calls are often made for states of emergency on issues that have already been the subject of previous emergency declarations.
This cycle reflects a deeper institutional problem. It is not merely about making policies or passing laws; it is about ensuring that those policies are followed through with determination, accountability and continuity.
The central question facing Nigeria today is not whether the country needs more laws, more declarations or more executive pronouncements.
The real question is whether existing laws and policies are being enforced with the seriousness, consistency and political will required to achieve their intended objectives.
Ultimately, Nigeria’s challenge is increasingly one of implementation rather than legislation.
The country does not suffer from a shortage of laws. It suffers from a shortage of sustained commitment to enforcing them.
Until governments move beyond announcements and demonstrate consistent implementation, many Nigerians will continue to view new declarations with skepticism, regardless of how noble the intentions behind them may be.
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