Criminal Politics: Violence, “Godfathers” and Corruption in Nigeria

The attempt to impeach Ladoja ended in failure. In December 2006 Nigeria’s
Supreme Court reversed the move as illegal because his removal was not supported
by the required two-thirds majority of the legislature. 177
Rival Armies of Political Thugs
After Ladoja resumed office in late 2006, the political struggle between the governor
and Adedibu was waged mainly in the streets through regular battles between proxy
gangs. Many of those thugs were armed with machetes and locally manufactured
small arms that were—according to interviews with government officials, police
officers and civil society activists—provided or paid for by their sponsors. 178 The
depredations of those groups exacted a heavy toll on ordinary civilians who were
subjected to violent crimes and looting, while few of the thugs and none of their
sponsors were ever held to account.
Both Ladoja and Adedibu turned to Oyo State’s chapter of the National Union of
Road Transport Workers (NURTW) as a primary source of political thugs. NURTW has
several thousand members in Oyo alone and is meant to represent the collective
bargaining interests of drivers of commercial passenger vehicles. There is
considerable evidence that NURTW’s Oyo chapter has long been used as a tool of
political violence by Adedibu and others. Some longtime members complain that the
union has been largely captured by violent motor park “touts” who loiter about the
motor parks harassing drivers and passengers alike. 179
Former Oyo State Senator Lekan Balogun told Human Rights Watch that “I would call
for the complete proscription of NURTW. They do not have any purpose. They are
available for negative activities including thuggery and they [politicians] draw their
thugs from there.” 180 The senator was beaten and nearly killed by a group of NURTW
177 Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution states that any impeachment motion against a sitting state governor must be
supporter by a two-thirds majority of the entire legislature, including the vote to constitute a panel of inquiry into allegations
of misconduct that could warrant impeachment. The anti-Ladoja lawmakers simply disregarded this provision, making the
untenable argument that they needed only a two-thirds majority of whoever happened to be present when the vote was held.
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sec. 188.
178 Human Rights Watch interviews, Oyo State, February and April 2007.
179 Human Rights Watch interview with driver and member of NURTW, Ibadan, February 10, 2007.
180 Human Rights Watch interview with Lekan Balogun, Ibadan, February 9, 2007.
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