There is no better way to understand the endemic
nature of corruption in Nigeria than to look at the activities of our customs
officials. Imagine a situation where a custom officer passes fake and expired
drugs for bribe not considering that the same drugs might be used to treat him
or his children in the near future.
Among the numerous problems facing
Nigeria in 21st century is the bad image which is rightly or wrongly
portrayed by the Corruption Perception Indices orchestrated under the frame
work of Berlin-Based Transparency International.28 In 1991 TI29
released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking 99 countries in
order of their perceived level of corruption with number one being the least
corrupt. Nigeria at recent version released in London, Nigeria at number 132
was still only one rank above.30 Corruption is a vice that has
permeated every aspect of our National life.
But
there is a tendency, even amongst the elite to regard corruption only in terms
of financial gratification.31 If we give that restrictive meaning to corruption, then we run the hazard of being
myopic to so many other objectionable behaviors in our public and private lives
that still fall within the category of the worst form of corruption. It is in
the light of the above that we must give a very elastic definition of
corruption.
Corruption
has been defined as depravity per version or taint, an impairment of integrity
virtue or moral principle; especially the impairment of a public officers
duties by bribery.32 The word corruption indicates impurity or
debasement and when found in the criminal law it means depravity or gross
impropriety.33
Corruption is not a disease which afflicts public
officers alone but also society as a whole. In fact, there is no judgment in
the history of the Supreme Court where a full panel of the highest court of the
land, poured out their winds on the issue of corruption than in the case of
Attorney-General Ondo State v. Attorney-General Federation.34