EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA FROM 1999 – 2015

Abstract

The growing frequency of the twin evils of corruption and insecurity in Nigeria in spite
of efforts made by successive governments with the sole purpose of mitigating their
negative consequences have been one of the major issues of public concern. This study
adopts secondary data and content analysis to examine the effect of corruption on
national security in Nigeria. The study reveals that all efforts to establish a just and
efficient society have been frustrated by corruption, manifested by depreciation of
human dignity and collapse of infrastructures, inequality, poverty and injustice as a
result of systematic elite misappropriation of state power, primitive accumulation of
wealth, ethno-cultural intolerance and political manipulation in the society which exists
in every aspect of our society. Corruption in Nigeria is attributed to failure of
governance to achieve the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state
policy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as
amended; The study also revealed that there exist a correlation between corruption
and insecurity in Nigeria and that greed by insurgent groups and corruption by public
officials caused deprivation, alienation, conflict and insecurity in Nigeria. The study
recommends for improvement in the quality of governance in order to reduce the
incidence of corruption and insecurity in Nigeria; the aim of this paper is to examine
the effects corruption on national security in Nigeria from 1999 – 2015.