This Study was set out to examine the impact of military rule on socio- economic development in Nigeria, with a particular focus on the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, from 1985 to 1993. The specific objective of this study was to examine whether the military rule in Nigeria has been able to achieve socio- economic development in the country. Using content analysis, the major findings of this study
revealed that there had been great political interest of the military in the politics and administration of Nigeria that accounted for prolonged military rule in the country. The longer period of military rule in Nigeria had greater impediments on the socio- economic development in the country. The military regime in Nigeria under General Babangida had no positive impact on socio- economic development in the country, because most
developmental programmes in Nigeria under his military regime were not peopleoriented and not successfully implemented in the interest of the common masses but a few elites in the country. Such programmes emanating from the military regime under
General Babangida like the Structural Adjustment Programmes (S.A.P), Privatization and Commercialization; and Debt Rescheduling Scheme had rather heightened the level of poverty and created a very wide gap between the rich and the poor in the country and that such programmes had not trickled down to improve the socio-economic conditions of the generality of the citizens in Nigeria but rather created more difficulties for the common man. The political issues under the military regime of General Babangida in Nigeria were equally found to be undemocratic as to usher in the most laudable socio-economic development in the country. Thus, the formation of the Political Bureau; the constitution review committee; the constituent Assembly; the formation of political parties and elections under Babangida's military administration in Nigeria were so designed to
favour a particular high class citizens in the country, but not targeted really at enhancing the socio-economic development in the country. Military rule in Nigeria under General Babangida regime had therefore, not been able to impact positively on the socioeconomic development of the country. Thus, military regimes in Nigeria have not equally been found to be modernizing agents. This Study recommends that the military should
stick to their constitutional role of defending the territorial integrity of the country rather than always engage in Nigeria's politics, and allow for a sustainable representative government under civil rule that could enhance the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
