Absence of a comprehensive national policy or strategy on corruption in Nigeria, with a defined framework for coordination, has resulted in a parallel and disarticulated fight against corruption among the anti-corruption agencies inter se, and between the agencies and the civil society on the other. Consequently, there are jurisdictional conflicts and multiple prosecutions of suspects by public agencies and divergent assumptions on the commitment or otherwise of stakeholders, as well as the appropriateness of the strategies adopted for fighting corruption. It is argued further that unless an acceptable framework for the coordination of the war against corruption is evolved, inter-agency conflicts and divergences in approaches will deter the much anticipated success. Therefore, a dual-dimensional approach to coordinating the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria in line with global best practices is advocated.

All over the world, corruption has been described as the greatest obstacle to economic and social development by undermining and distorting the rule of law and weakening the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends. The World Bank says the harmful effects of corruption are especially severe on the poor, who are hardest hit by economic decline, are most reliant on the provision of public services, and are least capable of bearing the extra costs associated with bribery, fraud, and the misappropriation of economic privileges. Nigeria's developmental lag is principally attributable to corruption, as generations of corrupt politicians have frittered away a substantial part of the resources that could have been channeled into national development. As early as 1979, there were allegations of a staggering 2.5 bn missing from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) treasury, necessitating the setting up of the Crude Oil Sales Tribunal of Inquiry, headed by Justice Ayo Irikefe. Although no specific figures are provided, Umaru Dikko was accused of stealing large sums of money through the Presidential Task Force on Rice in the early 1980s. In 1994, the former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida was alleged to have frittered away $12 bn from the Gulf War oil wind fall.

The late General Abacha will probably remain in the history books for sometime over his alleged theft of $20 bn from the treasury between 1993-96. Politicians, especially State Governors under the last administration were not deterred by the cacophony created by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), as they were alleged to have laundered away billions of state funds with impunity. Even in the absence of unanimity on the specific figure, the nation has recently been thrown into awe over allegations of how former President Obasanjo wasted over $10 bn on phony power projects, despite his administration's perceived tough stance on corruption. Summarily, between 1960, when Nigeria became independent, and 1999, when democracy was restored, a staggering sum of $400 bn was stolen and stashed away by generations of corrupt rulers, while $300 bn of development aid received during the last two decades has also been wasted by them.

Governance And Public Policy Journal, Anti-Corruption Crusade, Jurisdictional Conflicts, Public Agencies, Anti-Corruption Agencies, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, National Policies, Anti-Corruption Advocacy, Public Accountability Forum, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs.