The Independent Commission on Corrupt Practices and Related Crimes (ICPC) says that all sectors in Nigeria are tainted by corruption.
Tunde Babawale, Director of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), a think tank and arm of the ICPC, spoke in Abuja on Friday at the validation assembly of the 2022 National Survey, known as the Nigerian Corruption Index (NCI).
NCI studies the extent of corruption in Nigeria and looks at the other sectors that are most affected.
According to the rector, the results of the survey put the level of corruption in the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government and in the sector at 42 percent.
“All sectors have been guilty and very corrupt, the legislative, the judicial, the executive, they have all been corrupt.
“Even if at the state point, the score differs from state to state, the most important thing is that we find an overall score. More than 42 percent at our point are highly corrupt across the country,” Babalawe said.
He said Nigerians need a change in attitude, mindset and behaviour, noting that citizens have adapted to high levels of corruption.
“Meaning that people must begin to develop a high intolerance level for corruption as we are now, there is a high level of tolerance for corruption in the country.
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“And they don’t see it as a very outrageous and shocking development like it was in the past. We started educating the young and even the elderly on how to spread this anti-corruption antigen,” he added.
The Provost said the NCI was designed to critically examine all sectors.
“The difference in what we are doing is that we are looking for the effect of grand corruption and we are also looking from the attitude of other sectors of society, the legislative, the executive, the judicial. , as well as the subnational government.
“So the idea is that it’s better for us to talk about grand corruption because the biggest effect on the living conditions of Nigerians is when the police take bribes on the side of the road, which has effects not yet as much as someone stealing the 109 billion naira.
“Therefore, we need to assess the effect on society and how it differs from one sector to another.
“And the ultimate goal is also to ensure that we are able to advise the government on the policies that will be implemented to scale up anti-corruption projects and interventions,” he said.