Introduction As one examines the peaceful way elections are conducted in the West, one is tempted to question why the case of Nigeria seems different. This is basically because of the activities of thugs who are engaged by corrupt politicians to disrupt the electioneering process in their favor. In view of this, the scope of this research essay lies in defining some terms, examining a case study, discussing the causes of thuggery, highlighting its implications, and proffering solutions that will help in curbing the menace. Definition of terms Political thuggery is a form of political violence that poses a threat and scares politicians, thereby unduly influencing the outcome of the political process and gaining an undue advantage, particularly in elections, against certain politicians, especially those in the minority or those touted to create an upset at the polls. Political thugs are an organized set of criminals who engage in acts such as intimidation and violence to undermine a perceived or real political opponent to enable their sponsors to achieve their selfish political objective or interest. Case study Thuggery has been a serious menace in the political architecture of our dear country for decades now. During the build-up for the 2023 general election, for instance, it discouraged many youths from actively participating as INEC Adhoc staff. Even those who managed to participate came back with bitter testimonies about how they escaped lynching from thugs for refusing to dance to their bidding. Prior to the presidential election, INEC, security agencies, religious organizations, and civil societies tried their best to sensitize the public from engaging in thuggery. This indeed paid off to some degree as people moved freely to fulfil their civic duties. However, during the governorship election, things took a new turn maybe because of the localization of the offices being contested for. As early as 8:00 am, I went to my polling unit to cast my vote for my desired candidate before heading back home. I then tuned in my radio to the gubernatorial situation room to catch the latest update in other parts of the country. To my dismay, the presenter announced the killing of a political thug in Gboko for attempting to snatch a ballot box and disrupt the election. As I struggled to digest the news, the internet space was already littered with pictures of other political thugs killed in other parts of the country. The week following, I resumed back to work to be told by a colleague that one of the thugs killed was his in-law. According to his report, the boy was a graduate, and due to hardship, he was lured into the act with the sum of 10,000 naira. When he arrived at the polling unit, he neglected the presence of the female soldier on the ground to commence his evil mission. As he scattered the election materials and was about to leave, the soldier fired a shot which led to his death. As many heard about the news of what happened, the question on the lip of many Nigerians was, “Why will someone that is suffering because of poor leadership choose to die for politicians whose children are enjoying the comfort of Europe”? Another colleague of mine who summoned the courage to serve as a presiding officer also shared his experience with me. He said after accrediting about 89 voters using the Bvas, some thugs asked him to inflate the figures to about 200 in favor of a leading political party to which he initially objected. When he sensed his life was at stake, he heeded their bidding by changing the figures on a temporary sheet. He, however, discarded the fake result and reported the authentic result to the INEC officials at the collation center where there was safety. He even told me that a serving senator set aside his security aides so they don’t interfere with his mission and recruited some local thugs during his movement from one polling unit to the other. History of political thuggery in Nigeria During the colonial era, the political climate of the country was peaceful because key decision-making was done by our colonial masters. Things however changed after we got our independence in 1960. By 1962, thuggery began to manifest when the political crisis that rocked Action Group (a dominant political party in Western Nigeria) was publicized. The rift which was actually between Obafemi Awolowo and Samuel Akintola made many members of the party pitch tents against each other. As the situation aggravated, Akintola left the party to form a new regional party called NNDP. This move led to the wanton destruction of lives and properties by the warring factions till the Federal government declared a state of emergency. After the conduction of the 1964 Federal elections and the 1965 regional elections, the Akintolas party was accused of rigging. This motivated thugs to take advantage of the protest and cause pandemonium in the region. While this was going on, a group of political thugs in the North known as yan akusa was being used by the Northern people’s congress to check the winning streak of the Northern Elements Progressive Union. Since then, the act has continued to gain ground with each passing republic cycle because of the decision of the political class to prioritize it for election manipulation. During the 2011 elections, crises also erupted in Northern Nigeria when thugs took advantage of the protest against the presidential election to cause a commotion. Causes of political thuggery *Poor value system: The value system of society is gradually being eroded because of the overemphasis on money. People no longer care about the source of one’s wealth but are concerned if such an individual has money. This attitude stimulates youths to engage in thuggery to amass wealth from politicians. *Poverty: The record shows that the majority of the people who engage in political thuggery come from poor backgrounds. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, about 82.9 million Nigerians lived on less than a dollar daily in