By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
As the global community commemorates the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria (TI-Nigeria) have issued a strong warning that corruption remains a fundamental driver of Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
In a statement, the Executive Director of CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, expressed concern that despite significant investments in defence and internal security, corruption continues to erode national safety, leaving citizens vulnerable to various forms of violence.
According to the organisation, Nigeria’s prolonged struggles with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, militancy, communal conflicts, and organised crime have been exacerbated by entrenched corruption that weakens every aspect of the nation’s security architecture.
“From defence procurement to personnel recruitment, welfare administration, intelligence sharing, and operational command, corruption has become deeply rooted in ways that directly fuel insecurity,” the statement said.
“Security funds continue to vanish through inflated contracts, questionable procurement processes, misallocation of resources, and outright diversion of monies meant for operations and equipment.”
The organisation further highlighted that corruption in welfare administration has left frontline personnel poorly motivated, with many families of fallen officers denied their rightful entitlements, a situation that undermines morale and trust within security ranks.
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria called for urgent, comprehensive reforms and urged the Federal Government, National Assembly, security agencies, and anti-corruption institutions to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of defence and security resources.
It recommended full disclosure of procurement processes and audited expenditure records in line with international standards, as well as enhanced legislative oversight to ensure independent scrutiny of security budgets and operational outcomes.
The organisation also advocated:
An independent defence procurement audit system to curb contract inflation, ghost projects, and misuse of funds
Far-reaching security sector reforms with strict sanctions for officers involved in corrupt practices
Improved welfare, insurance, and adequate equipment for frontline personnel
Enhanced intelligence sharing and inter-agency coordination
Strong protection for whistle-blowers to encourage reporting of corrupt activities
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria reiterated that Nigeria cannot effectively overcome insecurity without decisively confronting corruption within the security sector.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with government institutions, the legislature, security agencies, and citizens to drive reforms that strengthen accountability, enhance national security, and restore public trust.
