Nigeria
This country page describes, in brief, data that TJET has compiled on regime transitions, intrastate conflict episodes, and transitional justice mechanisms. For details on the data included on this page, view the FAQ.
For Nigeria, TJET has collected information on: nine amnesties between 1974 and 2009; 55 domestic trials starting between 1976 and 2020; one foreign trial starting in 2015; one truth commission mandated in 1999; and two vetting policies starting between 1987 and 1999.
Select any transitional justice mechanism in the table below to view a timeline in the figure.
Country Background
Democratic Transition
Based on well-known democracy data, TJET records three democratic transitions starting in 1978, 1998, and 2015.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Violent Conflict
Based on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, TJET records six violent intrastate conflict episodes between 1970 and 2020 (during 13 calendar years), involving five distinct armed opposition groups fighting against the government. Two conflict episodes were internationalized by involvement of external state actors.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions. Source: UCDP Dyadic Dataset version 23.1, https://ucdp.uu.se/downloads/index.html#dyadic.
Transitional Justice Data
As of 2020, Nigeria ranks 7th out of 174 on TJET’s legacy of violence index. For a full list of country rankings over time, view the index page, and for an explanation of the index, view the Methods & FAQs page.
Amnesties
Nigeria had nine amnesties between 1974 and 2009. Two occurred in the context of democratic transition. One was passed during ongoing internal armed conflict. Six were passed after internal armed conflict. Two were part of a peace agreement. Three amnesties released political prisoners. Two amnesties forgave human rights violations.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Domestic Trials
TJET has compiled data on 55 domestic prosecutions between 1976 and 2020. These include eight transitional human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which one person was convicted; 40 regular human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which four persons were convicted; two intrastate conflict prosecutions of state agents, in which one person was convicted; two intrastate conflict prosecutions of opposition members, in which three persons were convicted; and eight opposition prosecutions of state agents or opposition members, in which 15 persons were convicted. In two trials that involved high-ranking state agents, no one was convicted.
Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Foreign Trials
Nationals of Nigeria were defendants in one foreign prosecution in Spain beginning in 2015.
Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Truth Commissions
Nigeria mandated one truth commission in 1999. The commission completed its operations in 2002. The commission issued a final report, which is publicly available. The report included recommendations for prosecutions, reparations, and institutional reforms.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Vetting Policies
Nigeria had two vetting policies, starting in 1987; one of these ended by 1991. One policy provided sanctions based on past individual conduct.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.