Daniel Otera
On the busy streets of Mararaba-Masaka in Nasarawa State, just outside Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, the mood was anything but festive two days before Democracy Day. While banners and state-sponsored jingles promised celebrations of 25 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, ordinary Nigerians told a different story or rather, refused to.
This reporter conducted a vox pop on Tuesday, 10th June 2025, hoping to gather everyday reflections on Nigeria’s democratic journey. But across more than 20 interviews attempted, not a single person agreed to speak on record. The fear was palpable.
“Abeg, if you record me, I will break your phone,” one man snapped, even after assurances that his identity would remain anonymous. Several others walked away mid-conversation or flatly refused, citing fear of arrest.
Their fear is not unfounded. Many referenced past cases of ordinary citizens, NYSC members, students, and journalists who have faced state-sanctioned reprisals for merely expressing dissent.
In March 2025, Ushie “Raye” Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Lagos, posted a TikTok video lamenting the rising cost of living. Her critique of government policies went viral. Within days, she was summoned by her Local Government Inspector, allegedly threatened with disciplinary measures, and pressured to delete the video. It took massive online campaigns and interventions from civic groups before NYSC issued a statement denying any punitive intent.
Similarly, a female nursing student in Delta State faced disciplinary queries in early 2025 after appearing in a viral video chant that mocked First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. Although state authorities later claimed no punishment was administered, the quick escalation reflected an environment increasingly hostile to youthful expression.
These incidents are not isolated. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 56 journalists were attacked or harassed by security forces during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024. Independent monitoring groups also noted that in northern states such as Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and the Federal Capital Territory, at least 76 individuals were arrested for participating in protests or expressing critical opinions online a figure compiled from multiple media and civil society reports.
Other Notable Cases Include:
- Abubakar Idris (aka Dadiyata): The vocal critic and lecturer was abducted from his home in Kaduna in 2019. His whereabouts remain unknown, symbolising the high stakes of dissent.
- Steven Kefason: The Kaduna-based journalist was detained for over 160 days in 2020 after criticising local leadership on Facebook.
- Aminu Muhammad: In November 2022, this university student was arrested for a sarcastic tweet aimed at then-First Lady Aisha Buhari. Public outcry eventually forced his release.
- Kano TikTok Creators (Nazifi and Mubarak): These two young men were jailed, fined, and flogged in 2022 for videos satirising the Kano State governor.
- Daniel Ojukwu: In May 2024, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism reporter was detained for over a week without charge after publishing a corruption report. Authorities cited the Cybercrime Act.
- Destiny Ekhorutomuen: Arrested in Edo State in December 2024 for allegedly inciting the public against the police via video commentary.
- Chioma Okoli: In 2023, the pregnant Lagos business woman was detained and charged under cybercrime laws for a Facebook review of tomato puree.
These examples show how deeply fear has penetrated civic life. In neighbourhoods like Mararaba and Masaka, people no longer feel safe to speak openly about political discontent even in private conversations.
“Make dem no carry me go like Dadiyata,” one trader whispered, referencing the still-unresolved disappearance of the Kaduna critic.
While Nigeria celebrates her 26th Democracy Day on 12th June 2025, the question remains: what kind of democracy thrives where the people are afraid to speak?
For many Nigerians, the freedoms promised by democracy, free speech, association, and accountability feel more distant than ever. Unless these patterns of repression are addressed, Nigeria’s democracy risks becoming more ceremonial than substantial.
Surprisingly, some who refused to speak publicly expressed nostalgia for Nigeria’s military era.
“At least we knew what to expect under the soldiers,” one trader whispered. “Now they say we have democracy, but it’s even worse. Hunger, no jobs, and if you talk, you’re in trouble.”
While such sentiments may appear extreme, they reflect a growing wave of disillusionment across Nigeria’s informal settlements and working-class communities. Despite democratic elections every four years, many Nigerians say they feel disconnected from the process — and more importantly, from its outcomes.
“Worse still, subtle calls for a return to military governance have surfaced on social media. This comes as six West African nations including Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger have experienced successful military coups since 2020 .”
Experts warn that this growing admiration for military regimes, particularly among disillusioned youth, is not driven by a genuine preference for authoritarianism but by deep frustration with the failures of democratic governance. Remi Adekoya, a politics lecturer at the University of York, noted in an interview with the Associated Press that many Africans are celebrating coups not because they oppose democracy, but because “it is the disappointment in what is supposed to be democratic rule that is causing people to not be against [military takeovers].”
Analysts further argue that popular support for such undemocratic transitions is a symptom of public desperation for accountability and effective leadership.
Independent reports corroborate this growing sense of alienation. According to the Afrobarometer 2024 Survey, 77% of Nigerians expressed dissatisfaction with the way democracy is functioning. Furthermore, 63% described the country as either “a democracy with major problems” or “not a democracy at all.”
The situation for media freedom is equally dire. In the 2024 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nigeria ranked 112th out of 180 countries, slipping five places from the previous year. The report cited increased censorship, harassment of journalists, and state surveillance of civic actors as key factors.
As banners wave and officials celebrate 26 years of unbroken civilian rule, a deeper truth lingers in the silence of the streets: democracy without freedom is an illusion.
