Maureen Okpe
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Nigerian chapter of Transparency International (TI), has urged full disclosure of procurement processes, audited expenditure records and stronger legislative oversight of security budgets and operational performance as the world marks the United Nations Anti-Corruption Day.
The organisation said Nigeria’s security crisis cannot be resolved without transparent management of defence funds, insisting on an independent defence procurement audit system to end contract inflation, ghost projects and widespread misuse of security resources.
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In a statement signed by its Executive Director and Head of TI-Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC/TI-Nigeria expressed grave concern that despite massive allocations to defence and internal security over the years, corruption continues to undermine national safety and expose citizens to unrelenting violence.
The group stated that “corruption remains one of the most destructive forces fuelling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, militancy, communal clashes and organised criminal activities across the country.”
According to CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, “corruption has entrenched itself in virtually every aspect of Nigeria’s security architecture, from defence procurement and personnel recruitment to welfare administration, intelligence sharing and operational command.”
The organisation warned that security funds continue to be siphoned through inflated contracts, questionable procurement deals, misallocation of resources and outright diversion of money meant for equipment and operations.
The organization added that corruption in welfare administration has left frontline personnel poorly motivated, while families of officers who die in active service often receive no benefits, deepening frustration and eroding morale within the ranks.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria also highlighted how recruitment corruption has pushed competent officers aside while placing unqualified individuals in sensitive roles, weakening the effectiveness of security institutions.
They condemned the unequal distribution of security protection, where certain individuals enjoy excessive security while ordinary citizens remain vulnerable.
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The group criticised entrenched nepotism and the manipulation of laws to unlawfully extend tenures within security institutions, describing such practices as harmful to national stability.
Calso raised alarm over weak oversight by the National Assembly and the persistent failure of government institutions to enforce accountability across the security sector.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria said “the lack of collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies has created operational gaps frequently exploited by criminal organisations.” It added that illegal payments demanded by police officers at roadblocks to remit to superiors reflect how corruption has infiltrated everyday law enforcement.
The organisation lamented the collapse of administrative justice, where impunity for security failures and corruption-related misconduct continues to thrive. It noted the widespread disregard for the presidential directive withdrawing police personnel from VIPs, describing the situation as another example of how the system favours the powerful at the expense of national security.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria further condemned what it described as the commercialisation of insecurity, alleging that certain actors in government benefit from ransom negotiations and short-term fixes rather than supporting long-term strategies.
The statement also warned about the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country, noting that Nigeria was estimated in 2021 to house roughly 70 percent of illicit weapons in West Africa.
It linked this trend to the rise in terrorism financing and Nigeria’s ranking as the 8th most terrorism-affected country in the 2024 Global Terrorism Index.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria said these alarming indicators reinforce the urgent need for comprehensive security sector reforms and robust anti-corruption measures.
The organisation stressed that “Nigeria cannot defeat insecurity without decisively tackling corruption at the core of the security sector.
“No amount of military spending or advanced equipment will deliver results if funds are diverted, oversight remains weak and impunity persists.
“Nigeria deserves a secure and prosperous future, one that can only be achieved by confronting corruption embedded within the country’s security framework.”