EFFECT OF CORRUPTION ON NATIONAL SECURITY AND WAY FORWARD

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This paper examines the effect of corruption on natural security and way forward in Nigeria. Bribery and corruption have been globally perceived as enemy of national economic development and threatening the security of a nation. Nigeria is of the country that the menace of the corruption said to have gone beyond imagination as the corruption persist from both government and private institutions. However, recent transparency international, 2023 corruption perception index, ranked Nigeria 145th out of 180 countries in the index. Therefore, it is evident that there are several corruption practices on ground in Nigeria to the extent that the practice of the menace has reached an alarming stage as inflation and insecurity are worsening daily. Despite the efforts of the past and present administration to arrest the menace of corruption in Nigeria, through various anti-corruption agencies like ICPC, EFCC and others, yet unfortunately the issue of corruption among political office holders, civil servants, business men and women, contractors, etc. continued to gain ground that something urgently need to be done to curb the phenomena of corruption in Nigeria. The study advanced four objectives to answer the four questions and two hypotheses raised to fund out the effect of corruption on national security in Nigeria. Past empirical research literatures were used and relate it to the work. A survey and descriptive research design is adopted while a secondary data was used as source of data collection. These includes formals, conference papers, online newspaper, whatsapp group members opinion, linkedin friends, telegraph group members opinion, academic and non-academic social media groups, facebook group opinions among others. A purposive sampling technique were used in selecting the study respondents without regards to any demographic affiliation. A sample size of 300 respondents were adopted. The numbers are made up of 50 respondents each from six geopolitical regions zones of Nigeria, such as NE, NC, NW, SW, SE, SS, respectively. The data obtained from the study respondents spread within the six geopolitical zones states were translated in to statistical figures and used statistical method of T-test statistical permutation to distinguish the opinions of the respondents on the effect of corruption on national security and way forward. Discussion, conclusion, and recommendations were made for better Nigeria if properly implemented.