Americans, born into a nation with guaranteed human rights and the privilege of being free, may have difficulty understanding that there are some countries where citizens distrust their governments. But the sad truth is that countless nations suffer from corrupt leaders and systems, forcing people to fend for themselves in every situation. Among the cruelest of these countries is Nigeria. Nigeria has been fraught with hardship since its independence, but the situation was particularly destructive during one particular regime that began in 1993. Under the rule of dictator Sani Abacha, Nigeria experienced its most horrific period of human rights abuses and corruption, which led to internal unrest. and international turmoil. Among the greatest offenses of this regime were the general abuses against people's human rights. Basic human needs such as food and shelter were scarce under Abacha. Indeed, in 1998, the year Abacha left office, the nation's people were unable to meet their basic needs, compared to before the start of Abacha's regime. The citizens of Nigeria lacked the ability to provide for themselves and maintain a healthy life. Poverty was at an all-time high, with more than half of Nigerians living on less than $1.25 a day. As a result of these conditions, Nigeria's infant mortality rate has been one of the highest in the world. But the crimes against the lives of citizens were almost as cruel as the crimes of their deaths. Extrajudicial and judicial killings have been an unfortunate but frequent occurrence in Nigeria. The ever-corrupt police force committed extrajudicial killings, killing those at checkpoints who refused to pay or bribe their way out. Perhaps even more cruel, though...... middle of paper......1, no. 2 (2010): 35-54.Brownsberger, William N. “Development and Government Corruption – Materialism and Political Fragmentation in Nigeria.” The Journal of Modern African Studies 21, no. 2 (1983): 215-233. All in the Game: Corruption and human rights abuses by the Nigeria Police Force. New York: Human Rights Watch, [2010].Ikelegbe, Augustine. “The perverse manifestation of civil society: evidence from Nigeria”. The Journal of Modern African Studies 39, no. 1 (2001): 1-24.Levin, Michael D. “The New Nigeria.” Journal of Asian and African Studies 32, no. 1/2 (1997): 134-144 McLuckie, Craig W. and Aubrey McPhail. Ken Saro-Wiwa: writer and political activist. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1999. Nwachuku, Levi A., and G. N. Uzoigwe. Troubled journey: Nigeria since the civil war. Lanham: University Press of America, 2004.