Police, EFCC, Immigration Service, ICPC Top Corruption Ranking

The Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have been listed as the most corrupt of federal government agencies in the country.

They topped the list of the ranking in a 2013 National Crime Victimisation and Safety survey conducted by the CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with the Macarthur Foundation, a copy of which was given to journalists at a media briefing Monday in Abuja.

The report also identified a weak and corrupt judiciary as some of the constraints militating against the fight against corruption.

According to the report, some of the states leading in the corruption index include Rivers, Borno, Cross River, Niger, Gombe, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Anambra and Kwara, while the lowest incidences of corruption were recorded in Katsina, Ogun and Akwa Ibom States.

In her opening remarks during the public presentation of the survey findings, Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Mrs. Kemi Okenyodo, said the survey was aimed at tracking patterns of crime in the country and finding solutions to them.

According to Okenyodo, the survey, which was conducted with 11,518 respondents drawn from all the states of the country, shed light on the experience of victims of rape, domestic violence, robbery, kidnap and murder, among others.

Some of the federal government agencies listed and their rate of propensity to bribery include the police - 33%, Nigerian Immigration Service - 26%, ICPC - 25%, Nigerian Customs Service - 24%, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) - 23%, EFCC - 23%, Federal Roads Safety Commission - 20%, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps - 19%.

Others are tax/revenue officials - 18%, municipal/local government councillors - 18%, State Security Service  (SSS) - 18%, National Assembly members - 17%, local government officials - 16%, lower court officials - 15%, higher courts officials - 14%, and lecturers and professors of tertiary institutions - 10%.

Organisations, officials and agencies that scored below 10% on the index include post office, gas/petrol attendants, prison warden/officers, primary and secondary school teachers, and doctors and nurses.

Part of the survey presentation read: “The findings of the survey showed that bribery and corruption among government officials in Nigeria remains high. Nearly one out of every four respondents admitted having paid a bribe or having been asked to pay bribes by government officials before services could be rendered to them.

“The 2013 survey also showed that bribery and corruption among public officials such as the police, customs officers, court personnel, tax officials, anti-corruption agencies and PHCN employees were higher in Rivers, Borno, Cross River, Niger, Gombe, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Anambra and Kwara States.

“The lowest incidences were recorded in Katsina, Ogun and Akwa Ibom States.”

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