This happened during the Buhari administration, which was in power after a military coup overthrew the democratic Shehu Shagari government. His military regime’s totalitarian practices are referred to as the Buharism (WAI) War against Indiscipline. March 1984 marked the start of the WAI program, which ran until September 1985. It was more comprehensive than earlier initiatives and sought to combat pervasive corruption and socioeconomic maladjustment.
By July 1985, publications like Concord and The Guardian, who were critical of the previous administration’s economic mismanagement and corruption, had started criticizing the WAI campaign and charging military officers with abusing their position to punish indiscipline.
Others saw the action as a directive from the top military command to the lower levels. Following the overthrow of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s military rule in a military coup, the initiative was progressively halted.