“He May Be a Thief, But He’s Our Thief” — How Tribal Loyalty Became Corruption’s Strongest Shield

By Al-Amin Isa

There is a sentence that has done more damage to Nigeria than coups, bad policies, or foreign interference combined.

It is short.

It is casual.

It is often said with a laugh.

“He may be a thief, but he’s our thief.”

That sentence is the heartbeat of Nigerian corruption.

The Day Morality Became Conditional

In most societies, theft is theft. Wrong is wrong. In Nigeria, morality depends on who is involved. If the thief is from another tribe, he is a criminal. If he is from our tribe, he is being “witch-hunted.” If he is from our religion, the case is “politically motivated.” If he shares our surname, the evidence must be fake. This is how corruption learned to wear ethnic colours. And once corruption wears identity, accountability becomes impossible.

When Tribe Replaces Conscience

We like to pretend we are united by nationality, but the truth is simpler: Most Nigerians are loyal first to:

 • Tribe

 • Religion

 • Region

 • Political camp

Nigeria comes last. This is why corrupt leaders rarely fall. They don’t need to be innocent, they only need to belong. Once accused, the script is predictable: “They are targeting our people.” “Why didn’t they arrest others?” “It’s because he’s from the North/South.” “This is religious persecution.”

And just like that, corruption is no longer a crime, it is an identity issue.

How Corrupt Leaders Exploit This Weakness

Nigerian politicians understand one thing very well: You don’t need to be clean. You only need to be useful to your group. So they:

 • Appoint kinsmen

 • Share patronage locally

 • Fund ethnic champions

 • Speak the language of grievance

Once they do this, they become untouchable. Any attempt to investigate them is framed as:

 • An attack on the region

 • An insult to the tribe

 • A war against the religion

And citizens rush to defend them, not because they are innocent, but because “he represents us.”

The Most Dangerous Lie We Tell Ourselves

“We need our own person there.” This sentence has destroyed more countries than war. Yes, representation matters. But representation without integrity is disaster.

A thief representing you is not representation. A corrupt man from your village is still corrupt. A looter who prays like you still steals like a thief. But we convince ourselves otherwise, because emotional comfort is easier than moral courage.

How This Mentality Kills the Nation

When tribe replaces truth: Institutions collapse, Merit dies, Criminals become heroes, Honesty becomes betrayal, Whistleblowers become enemies. And worst of all, children grow up learning that loyalty matters more than honesty. That is how corruption becomes culture.

The Tragedy We Refuse to Admit

Nigeria does not lack good people. It lacks people willing to hold their own accountable. Everyone wants justice, but only for others. Everyone wants change, but not if it affects their side. So the country remains trapped: Rotating the same faces, Recycling the same excuses, Repeating the same mistakes.

Let’s Tell Ourselves the Brutal Truth

Corruption will not end in Nigeria when laws change. It will end when Nigerians stop defending thieves just because they share blood, faith, or language. Until then, every tribe will keep producing its own corrupt champions, and protecting them proudly.

And the country will keep bleeding, while we argue over whose knife caused the wound.

Next week:

“The Checkpoint Economy: How Nigeria Turned Bribery into a Business Model.”

To be continued.