Nigeria brings back brigade to 'discipline people'

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria on Monday relaunched its War Against Indiscipline (WAI) Brigade, an initiative reminiscent of the military era of the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, which would target "indiscipline" among people.

In remarks made at a workshop for members of the brigade in the capital Abuja, Garba Abari, director-general of the country's National Orientation Agency, said: “The present administration has declared its intention to re-launch the [WAI] Brigade for better performance and bring its activities to the fore.”

Abari said the measure would also help in “civil intelligence gathering”, which would contribute towards an orderly and a secure society in line with the “change mantra” of the current administration.

The WAI Brigade was a dreaded government agency during Buhari's era as military leader between 1983 and 1985, which had put hundreds of dissenters into jail for alleged corruption, violation of rules or public nuisance. Under the brigade, soldiers wielding horsewhips used to dictate public ethics, including enforcing a queue at bus stations and punishing unwholesome conducts.

Buhari had introduced such measures to make his “undisciplined people” toe the line after overthrowing a civilian regime in a bloodless coup.

Abari, the NOA chief, said the “ills and woes that bedeviled the nation at that time are still very much with us, necessitating the efforts of the Brigade to help fight against social vices.”

Various Nigerian governments after him have renamed the efforts in various ways, although hardly with any bite. Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, the WAI brigade was renamed as the Community Support Brigade in 2013. Southwestern Lagos state introduced a similar outfit named Kick Against Indiscipline, which enforced sanitation laws and confiscated goods displayed at unauthorized places.

Critics on social media said the measure was a throwback to Buhari's military era when thousands of people were jailed for alleged acts of indiscipline.