Corruption in Nigeria

DISCUSSION PAPER

Anti-Corruption was the declared number one policy aim of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. The success of this policy was, however, for various reasons not too impressive. Obasanjo 's successor, President Umaru Yar 'Adua came to power promising to reform and continue the anti-corruption policy. But while the anti-graft agencies continued to arrest and arraign more individuals, including highly placed officials, for corruption, the general public expressed the view that the fight against corruption became increasingly inefficient under Yar 'Adua. This paper shows that the positive measures taken by the Yar 'Adua government were overshadowed by other observed lapses. The first one has been that the government was patronizing some ex-public officials accused of corruption by the EFCC, especially former governors, who played key roles in his election. Secondly, Yar 'Adua also presided over the purge and persecution of popular anticorruption crusaders, especially Nuhu Rubadu, the former chairman of the EFCC. Thirdly, President Yar 'Adu was not forceful enough, notably in his speeches, with his anti-corruption program. For the incoming administration, the paper recommends to make anti-corruption a strong priority and to reduce political intereference in the work of anti-corruption agencies.

Foreword “Nigerians agree that corruption in public life, which was pronounced under military rule, has reached alarmingly pandemic proportions, and should now be a matter of very serious and pressing public policy concern.” Unfortunately, the often-quoted statement by the Oputa Panel is still relevant today, many years after the drafting of the report. Corruption is recognized as a grave national problem. Virtually all sectors of policy and society are affected by it. It hampers or interrupts the delivery of basic services to the people, disrupts education and endangers the safety and security of every single citizen. Corruption is a problem in Nigeria,

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