CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY OF NIGERIA

The Nigerian Society is ridden with massive corruption to the extent that all strata of society and all facets of life are tainted by the cankerworm. This social malfeasance, over the years, has assumed such alarming proportion that it threatens the continued existence of the Nigerian nation. However, more worrisome is the effect of corruption on good governance and the security of Nigeria. The thrust of this paper, therefore, is to establish the root causes of corruption in Nigeria, especially among politically exposed people; the devastating effect of corruption on the Nigerian society, especially as it impinges on security, causing the nation to almost downslide into anarchy; and likely elixirs for the malfeasance. Consequently, the paper recommends some solution to the hydra-headed problem, such as: enforcement of more stringent deterrent measures against errant politicians; repositioning the curriculum to accommodate relevant Social Studies cum Civic Education learning content, with a view to eradicating corruption; adoption of economic policies geared towards massive empowerment of unemployed people, among other things