CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The fact that corruption has become endemic in the Nigeria social system is no more a news in

the local and international scenes (Soyombo, 2006; Dahiru, 2012; Obasanjo, 2013). The

prevalent rate of corruption in the country has made the country to be ranked among the most

corrupt country in global comparative ranking (Metiboba, 2002; Omotola 2004). According to

Falore & Asamu, (2006), it has become a consensual fact that corruption is a cankerworm which

has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society, from private to public life, in the formal

and informal sector, in white collar and blue collar jobs and even among the educated and non-

educated individuals in the country. It has been conceived as the major impediments to

actualizing development at all levels in the country (Okosie-Simbine, 2006, Omotola, 2004).

Having acknowledged this fact, successive governments in Nigeria have floated several anti-

corruption campaigns notable among which is the Independent Corrupt Practices and other

Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission

(EFCC). These agencies are technically referred to as the anti-graft agencies; the major objective

of initiating these agencies is to bring the incidence of corrupt practices into check in the public

and private spheres of life in the Nigerian society. However, despite the mandate and the

financial support given to the anti-graft agencies, these agencies according to many observers are

performing below the expected standard as the incidence of corruption instead of reducing

continue to soar in all spheres of life and it has become a popular practice in all businesses of

government in the country. Corruption has wrecked lots of havoc to the Nigerian society, the
consequential effects of corruption on the social fabric is manifested in high level of poverty,

high profile of youth violence, general insecurity, wanton destruction of lives and properties,

social unrest, social mistrust and so on.

In respect to the above, series of research efforts have been directed towards the phenomenon of

corruption in Nigeria, some have discussed the menace of the phenomena in terms of affecting

the developmental spate of the country negatively, some have examined it from the prevalent

perspective, some have looked into it as weapon of mass disruption, other have looked into

possible means through which the menace could be brought to check, others have discussed it in

terms of weakening the political, social and economic structure of the Nigerian society and many

other researchers have attempted the study of the anti-graft agencies in terms of their functions

and efficiencies. Some of the scholars studying the anti-graft agencies are of the view that the

vibrancy and effectiveness of these agencies in the very first step to curb the menace of

corruption in the country.

However, a glance at the structure and dimension of analysis of many of the previous studies on

anti-graft agencies in Nigeria would reveal that many of these studies have attempted the study

of the agencies merely from theoretical/narrative perspective and no much empirical examination

has been made on the subject. Specifically, existing research works have not examine the

perception of the people, (especially the public civil servants) regarding the efficiency of these

agencies and how their perception of these agencies could encourage or discourage them from

engaging in corrupt practices. It is on this note that this study examined the perception of civil

servants regarding the vibrancy of anti-corruption agencies and the influence of this on the

possibility of their involvement in corrupt practices under the regime of President Muhammed

Burari from 2015 – 2019.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The challenge of combating corruption in Nigeria has been a leadership test for successive

regimes. The Nigerian governments’ post-civil war interventions and initiatives targeted at

combating corruption are clearly shows different anti-corruption initiatives of the government of

Nigeria and how these have impacted on combating corruption in the country. The ineffective

implementation of the initiatives captured over the years. The Nigerian government has

reasonably achieved insufficient desired positive results in combating corruption. Part of the

challenge as argued has been lack of committed political will on the part of the Nigerian state in

ensuring their effective implementation. The political leadership is usually seen as the driving

force for the anti-corruption crusade. The moment the leadership failed to provide adequate

funding and non-partisanship, and disregarded rule of law among other failures then the anti-

corruption war was been jeopardized.

Consequently, redeeming Nigeria’s image in the global arena, and responding to international

financial institutions (IFIs) demands for transparency and accountability, has remained a huge

challenge. Nigeria’s corruption rating based on a perception8 survey by TI over the years

witnessed an improvement in 2008 and thereafter suffered a steady decline up to 2013. Prior to

2014, Nigeria was ranked 142 of 163 in 2006, 147 of 179 in 2007, in 2008 it was ranked 121 of

180, in 2009 it was 130 of 180, in 2010 it was 134 of 170, in 2011 it was 143 of 183, in 2012 it

was 139 of 174, in 2013 it was 144 of 175, and in 2014 it was 136 of 174.9 The seeming

differences between 2006 and 2014 can be explained within the context of the legacy corruption

cases that are yet to be resolved and also fresh investigations that have been launched into new

cases. Overall, corruption remains a major threat to governance of Nigeria. Consequently, only
sustained enforcement actions and extensive governance reforms over time will lead to improved

results being registered in combating corruption. In recent times, actions by the Nigerian

government have left much to be desired as these seem to portray the very opposite of what it

proclaims to be its zero tolerance of corruption. Specifically, we note that the tempo of the

prosecution of corrupt public officers between 2007 and May 2015 drastically reduced, and

Nigerians raised serious concern about government not achieving people’s desired result of

prosecuting and jailing guilty offenders. There are further arguments that the gravest threat to

anticorruption campaigns in Nigeria often emanates from a combination of intra-elite rancor and

political intrigues, based on corrupt practices that are reflections of deeper sociopolitical

pathologies of a normal post-colonial state. Further arguments suggest that those pathologies are

manifestations of the structures of political elite domination. For them, anti-corruption

campaigns, by their very nature, pose a serious danger to the material basis of political elites and

the possibility of their continued reproduction.

Prior to the 2015 elections in Nigeria, there were abundant criticisms from Nigerians, the public

and political affairs analysts regarding the issue of corruption in all aspects of governance;

insecurity across the country; poor social services and infrastructure; and weak democratic and

military institutions, among others. This debate led to a national critical question that the

leadership of Nigeria needs to ask: How and why has the situation deteriorated to such levels?

The answer is not farfetched: when a country’s developmental stride is laid on a faulty ground of

corruption and indiscipline.

Unfortunately, it has remained unabated among recent successive governments, and the wages

are what the country is reaping in the form of Boko Haram insurgency and international

skepticism. Another issue is the rotten civil service sector, where the practice which was not the
case in the past, is that contracts and recruitment into the public sector are not based on merit but

on personal relationships and bribery.

The problem of corruption has therefore been duly acknowledged by successive governments.

More importantly, the incumbent President Buhari, during his acceptance speech on 1 April

2015, strongly acknowledged corruption as one of the many challenges causing economic

decline in Nigeria. He describes corruption as another form of evil; one that is worse than

terrorism. He further stated that corruption does the following to the Nigerian state: ‘Corruption

attacks and seeks to destroy Nigeria’s national institutions and character; it misdirects into selfish

hands funds intended for the public purpose; corruption distorts the economy and worsens

income inequality; and it creates a class of unjustly enriched people.’ Thus he committed to

combat vice, ensuring that it will no longer be tolerated.

Consequently, on 12 May 2015, the ruling political party, the All Progressive Congress,

transition committee submitted its report to President Buhari. The committee recommended the

merging of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the Independent

Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to tackle graft in a new way that would be prompt,

fearless and decisive. Incidentally, this has been the view of Nigerian civil society as part of the

measures to strengthen anti-corruption institutions in Nigeria. Nigerians patiently expect the

outcome of this as the administration unveils its governance agenda in the area of fighting graft.

Hence this research tends to find out to what extent has the EFCC succeed in their fight against

corruption under the dispensation of President Muhammed Buhari between 2015 to 2019.
1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the EFCC succeed in their fight against corruption

under the dispensation of President Muhammed Buhari between 2015 to 2019. The specific

objective of the study are:

1. to examine the success rate of EFCC under the regime of President Muhammed Buhari

between 2015 to 2019.

2. to find out if the level of corruption has dropped down during 2015 – 2019.

3. to find out people’s perception on the approach of EFCC if it is effective and efficient.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions therefore guided this study:

1. Do the EFCC have any form of success under the regime of President Muhammed Buhari

between 2015 to 2019?

2. Does the EFCC fight against corruption lowered the level of corruption in Nigeria

between 2015 to 2019?

3. Do people perceive that the approach employed by the EFCC as being effective and

efficient?
1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following research hypothesis will help examine the EFCC succeed in their fight against

corruption under the dispensation of President Muhammed Buhari between 2015 to 2019.

1. There is no significant relationship between the success of EFCC under the regime of

President Muhammed Buhari between 2015 to 2019 and those regimes before his.

2. There is no significant relationship between the EFCC fight against corruption and the

level of corruption in Nigeria between 2015 to 2019.

3. There is no significance relationship between people perception on the approach

employed by the EFCC and the effectiveness and efficiency of such approach between

2015 to 2019.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This project aims at notifying all Nigerians that corruption is one of the greatest obstacles to

National Development. However, it will be significant also in the sense that it will enhance our

knowledge on the recommendation to put forward before the present administration geared

towards how best they can combat and arrest the ugly menace (corruption) in Nigeria. In this

same vain it will also be useful to, public administrators, political scientist and other

academicians. Hence, the significant is very great and profound.

The findings of this study, which is possibly the first of its kind in Nigeria, will hopefully bring

to light the EFCC and their fight against corruption from 2015 - 2019, the challenges they are
facing, and how the EFCC can improve in order to achieve success in fight against corruption.

Hence, the findings will add to knowledge and literature on corruption as a menace to the

society. The findings will also help the anti-graft agencies to know the best methods and

techniques to employ in their fight against corruption to effectively bring the menace to a barest

minimum.

This study is significant and beneficial to the general public in many areas. The research will

make the public conscious of the current status of corruption in Nigeria. The study will also

expose to them the factors responsible for the corruption in public and private sector of the

economy and if there is any difference and suggest the possible ways to be followed to remedy

the situation. At the same time, the research will reveal to them the significance of the fight

against corruption and hope to help them improve on their believe in the effort of the EFCC in

combating corruption.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study covers the EFCC and their fight against corruption in Nigeria from 2015 – 2019

which is within the era of President Muhammed Buhari Administration led government; though

references will be made to early occurrence of the phenomenon (corruption). This research work

is limited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It should be emphasized

that considering the time given for this essay, there will be deficiency in the collection of data

required for analysis.