Connect with us

News

Survey: Over 70 Percent Nigerians Refused to Give Bribe in 2023

Published

on

Survey: Over 70 Percent Nigerians Refused to Give Bribe in 2023

By: Michael Mike

Over 70 per cent of Nigerians who were asked to pay a bribe in 2023 refused to do so on at least one occasion, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC).

According to a statement, “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, jointly produced with Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) with the support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Government of Denmark, is the third survey of perceptions of corruption among the Nigerian population and provides an analysis of corruption trends and the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies in the country.

“This survey is unique in the sense that it is focused on understanding the experience of corruption by Nigerians, rather than just perceived corruption, whenever they encounter any public officials,” said the Statistician-General of NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran.

He added that: “Two new and vital modules – on Gender and Disability – were introduced to the instruments deployed, to give us a deeper understanding of the experience and impact of corruption on marginalized or typically excluded groups such as women, youths, and persons with disabilities.”

Launched by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, the survey finds that fewer citizens reported suffering negative consequences after refusing a bribe request in 2023 compared with 2019 (38 per cent versus 49 per cent), suggesting that Nigerians are becoming increasingly comfortable with confronting corrupt officials without fear of repercussions.

Out of all citizens who paid a bribe, 8.6 per cent reported their experience to an official institution in 2023, a marked rise from 3.6 per cent in 2019. The increase may be a result of enhanced access to complaints channels and an increased readiness of institutions to take such complaints seriously and initiate a formal procedure.

The share of bribery reports that led to the initiation of a formal procedure against a public official increased nearly three-fold between 2019 and 2023, from 16 per cent to 45 per cent, while the share of those who experienced no follow-up after reporting fell from 34 per cent to 17 per cent.

But despite these notable advances, corruption continues to rank among the most important problems affecting Nigerians, after cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment, and there remain challenges to effectively countering corruption in the country.

Roughly US$1.26 billion – or .35 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product – was paid in cash bribes to public officials in 2023. The prevalence of bribe payments in the private sector increased significantly, meanwhile, from 6 per cent in 2019 to 14 per cent in 2023.

A special gender equity and social inclusion component of the survey report highlights that women continue to be less likely to engage in bribery irrespective of where they live, their age, educational background, and employment status. When in contact with public officials, women (28 per cent) are less likely to experience bribery than men (39 per cent). The survey further shows that only 19 per cent of women public officials solicit or take a bribe when interacting with the public,compared to 35 per cent of male public officials.

In addition, the 2023 report found that people with disabilities are as likely as everyone else to be approached for the payment of bribes. Yet having to pay bribes when accessing public services is likely to place a far greater burden on people with disabilities.

The survey concluded with several policy recommendations. The positive attitude and behavioral changes towards corruption could be further encouraged through rewarding honest citizens and public officials, while holding those who do solicit or accept bribes, including those in the criminal justice system and Parliament
accountable.

Complaint mechanisms could be strengthened and made more accessible. Increasing the use of e-government – and thereby reducing the amount of contact citizens have with public officials – could further reduce the number of bribes paid.

“Through this 3rd National Survey, Nigeria leads in establishing international best practice in the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption through the conduct of periodic and scientific assessment of corruption and anti-corruption efforts, reinforcing the importance of evidence-based strategies in the journey towards a corruption-free society,” said Dr. Oliver Stolpe, Country Representative, UNODC Nigeria.

Survey: Over 70 Percent Nigerians Refused to Give Bribe in 2023

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Three Fulani women abducted by gunmen in Kwara

Published

on

Three Fulani women abducted by gunmen in Kwara

By: Zagazola Makama

Atleast three Fulani women were abducted by armed hoodlums who attacked Awi village, a Fulani/Hausa camp near Omu-Aran, under sporadic gunfire.

Sources disclosed that the incident occurred on June 29 at about 1:00 a.m. and was reported later that morning by one Danbare Sarki Fulani, a community leader.

The victims were identified as: Halimi Kadiri, Gaaje Yusuf, and a nursing mother Maria Isah. All the victims are said to be of Fulani Bororo origin.

Upon receipt of the report at about 10:00 a.m., a team security operatives and members of the local vigilante group was immediately mobilised to the scene and began combing the nearby forests,” the statement said.

Additionally, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) team attached to Omu-Aran, alongside neighbouring Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and local vigilantes, have launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation aimed at locating the victims and apprehending the perpetrators.

Police sources confirmed that investigation is ongoing and assured the public of continued efforts to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted women and restoration of peace in the area.

Three Fulani women abducted by gunmen in Kwara

Continue Reading

News

Troops neutralise 2 ISWAP insurgents planting IEDs on Borno highway

Published

on

Troops neutralise 2 ISWAP insurgents planting IEDs on Borno highway

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army troops of Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised two suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attempting to plant Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along a critical highway in Borno State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama on Monday that the ambush operation occurred along the strategic Trans-Timbuktu (TT) corridor, extending towards the Katarko–Goniri axis.

The sources said that the operation was conducted following credible intelligence on the movement of a terrorist IED-laying party along the route.

“During the encounter, troops engaged the terrorists in a brief but decisive firefight, killing two insurgents and forcing others to flee.

“Items recovered at the scene included two AK-47 rifles, several magazines, a motorcycle, and materials intended for constructing IEDs. Equipment designed to cut through tarred roads for the concealment of explosives was also found.

“The swift response by the troops not only thwarted a potential attack on military and civilian vehicles but also helped to secure a major supply route frequently targeted by terrorists,” a security source said.

The military has since intensified patrols and route clearance operations in the general area to prevent further attempts by the insurgents.

Troops neutralise 2 ISWAP insurgents planting IEDs on Borno highway

Continue Reading

News

Bandits kill two, abduct four in Katsina community

Published

on

Bandits kill two, abduct four in Katsina community

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have killed two persons and abducted four others in a late-night attack on Gidan Tamba village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident, which occurred on June 29 at about 10:45 p.m., threw the quiet rural community into panic as the gunmen stormed the area and opened fire indiscriminately.

One of the victims, Ashiru Shafiu, aged 60, was reportedly shot dead on the spot, while another resident, Suleiman Yusuf, also 60, collapsed during the raid and later died of cardiac arrest. Both were rushed to the General Hospital in Kankara, where they were confirmed dead.

In addition to the fatalities, four residents were abducted during the attack. They have been identified as: Kazeem Nuhu, Shafiu Aliyu, Rama Dan Mallam and Ummah Abdulwahab.

The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles and disappeared into the surrounding forest with the kidnapped victims.

Bandits kill two, abduct four in Katsina community

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights