CORRUPTION CRISIS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR IN NIGERIA: PROBLEMS AND PANACEA

Abstract

Corruption is a fast growing global predicament. In Nigeria, it has now become part of the mainstream culture with so much negative impacts that are greatly undermining developmental efforts in the country. For more than a decade, Nigeria has been categorized among the most corrupt nations of the world. This sad development prompted different Nigerian governments to establish some anti-corruption agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), etc. The paper discusses the ugly phenomenon of corruption and anti-corruption war in Nigeria, some constraints against anti-corruption agencies such as government insincerity, poor funding/facilities, corruption within anti-corruption agencies, weak/corrupt judiciary, and poor public co-operation and so on. In view of these problems facing anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria, the paper advocates some sustainable measures for intensifying and winning the fight against corruption and they include, eradicating corruption within anti-corruption agencies, adequate funding/provision of facilities, increased public awareness/co-operation, entrenching of democratic governance, strengthening of judiciary and constitutional empowerment of anti-corruption agencies, etc.