Table Of ContentSTRENGTHENING OF ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSIONS AND LAWS IN
NIGERIA
by
Fatima Waziri
LL.B., Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, 2001
B.L., Nigeria Law School Lagos, 2002
LL.M., St Thomas University School of Law Miami, 2007
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of
the Law School in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Juridical Science
University of Pittsburgh
2011
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
SCHOOL OF LAW
This dissertation was presented
by
Fatima Waziri
It was defended on
November 21, 2011
and approved by
Elena Baylis, Associate Professor, School of Law
Roza Pati, Dr. iur, Associate Professor, School of Law
Cecil Blake, Ph.D, Associate Professor, Africana Studies
Dissertation Advisor: John Burkoff, Professor, School of Law
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Copyright © by Fatima Waziri
2011
iii
STRENTHENING OF ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION AND LAWS IN
NIGERIA
Fatima Waziri, S.J.D.
University of Pittsburgh, 2011
This S.J.D. dissertation explores the role of law in challenging and curbing public
corruption in Nigeria through the use of anti corruption agencies and laws. A comparative
approach is used that draws upon development from other jurisdictions to illuminate issues in
the Nigerian context. More broadly, this S.J.D. dissertation examined and analyzed the major
anti corruption agencies and laws in Nigeria (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Code of Conduct
Bureau) and their approach towards corruption and democratic process. I also examined the
role Freedom of Information Law plays in curbing corruption and promoting transparency,
twelve years after the Freedom of Information Bill was first presented to the Nigerian
National Assembly, it was finally passed into law May, 2011.
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The main text of this dissertation is comprised of an introductory chapter that defines
corruption and related concepts. The next chapter sets the tone of Nigeria as a nation leading
into the Nigerian legal system and their jurisdiction in hearing corruption cases. Chapter five
introduces the anti corruption agencies in Nigeria, past and present. Chapter six deals with
United States of America’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), its effects on Nigeria and
the controversy caused by the exception of FCPA Act called facilitation payment. The last
chapter analyzes the present anticorruption agencies and their laws, proffering
recommendations and also the Freedom of Information law in Nigeria while drawing
developments from India’s Right to Information Act and South Africa’s Promotion of Access
to Information Act.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE.................................................................................................................. xiii
List of Tables ............................................................................................................. xi
List of Figures............................................................................................................ xii
1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1
1.1 OVERVIEW OF PROBLEM AND METHODOLOGY .................. 1
1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................................... 8
1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY .......................................................... 9
2.0 CORRUPTION AND RELATED CONCEPTS ........................................... 13
2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 13
2.2 DEFINING CORRUPTION .............................................................. 14
2.3 PROGRESSION OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA ........................ 17
2.4 CAUSES OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA .................................... 19
2.5 THE CONSEQUENCES OF CORRUPTION .................................. 27
2.6 CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF CORRUPTION: A STUDY
OF THE NIGERIAN CUSTOMARY LAW/CUSTOMS AND
ISLAMIC LAW (SHARIA) .............................................................. 31
3.0 THE NATION CALLED NIGERIA: A RENDEZVOUS OF HISTORY .... 42
3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 42
3.2 THE NIGERIAN SETTING ............................................................. 45
3.2.1 Southwestern Nigeria ............................................................ 45
3.2.2 Southeastern Nigeria ............................................................. 46
3.2.3 Northern Nigeria .................................................................... 46
3.2.4 Post-Independence ................................................................. 47
3.3 PRESENT DAY NIGERIA ............................................................... 48
4.0 NIGERIA LEGAL SYSTEM ........................................................................ 50
4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 50
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4.2 FROM THE BEGINNING THERE WAS CORRUPTION!
A BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ........................................ 56
4.3 SOURCES OF NIGERIAN LAW ..................................................... 68
4.3.1 Nigeria Legislation ................................................................ 68
4.3.2 Received English Law ........................................................... 69
4.3.3 Customary Law ..................................................................... 70
4.3.4 Judicial Precedents ................................................................ 76
4.4 GOVERNMENT BODIES ................................................................ 77
4.4.1 The Legislature ...................................................................... 77
4.4.2 The Executive ........................................................................ 78
4.4.3 The Judiciary ......................................................................... 78
4.5 HIERARCHY OF COURTS IN NIGERIA ...................................... 79
4.5.1 Supreme Court of Nigeria ..................................................... 79
4.5.2 Court Of Appeal .................................................................... 80
4.5.3 Federal High Court ................................................................ 81
4.5.4 High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja .............. 81
4.5.5 Sharia Court Of Appeal of the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja ..................................................................... 82
4.5.6 Customary Court Of Appeal of the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja ..................................................................... 83
4.5.7 High Court of a State ............................................................. 83
4.5.8 Sharia Court of Appeal of a State .......................................... 84
4.5.9 Customary Court of Appeal of a State .................................. 84
4.6 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES OF
INFORMATION ............................................................................... 86
4.6.1 Primary Sources..................................................................... 86
4.6.2 Secondary Sources ................................................................. 87
4.7 JURISDICTIONAL CONFLICTS IN PROSECUTING
CORRUPTION CASES .................................................................... 88
4.8 LEGISLATIONS AGAINST CORRUPTION .................................. 90
4.8.1 Domestic Legislations Against Corruption ........................... 90
4.8.1.1 Constitutional provisions on corruption:
The Nigerian 1999 Constitution ................................ 90
4.8.1.2 Code of Conduct Act, 1989 ....................................... 99
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4.8.1.3 Nigerian Criminal Code Law Chapter 77:
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 .................. 100
4.8.1.4 Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related
Offences Commission Act 2000 ................................ 101
4.8.1.5 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Act 2004 .................................................................... 102
4.8.1.6 Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 ............... 102
4.8.1.7 Advance Fee Fraud & Fraud Related Offences
Act 2006 .................................................................... 103
4.8.2 Regional Treaties Against Corruption ................................... 103
4.8.2.1 Economic Community Of West African States
(ECOWAS) Treaty On Exchange Of Information
On Criminal Matters .................................................. 103
4.8.2.2 African Convention On Prevention & Combating
Corruption.................................................................. 104
4.8.3 International Convention Against Corruption ....................... 104
4.8.3.1 United Nations Convention Against Corruption
(UNCAC) .................................................................. 104
4.9 UNDERSTANDING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN
BRIBE, GIFTS, GREASE PAYMENT, AND FACILITATION
PAYMENT ........................................................................................ 106
5.0 A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION ................................................................ 110
5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 110
5.2 WHAT IS AN ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENCY? ........................... 112
5.3 EVOLUTION OF ANTI CORRUPTION AGENCIES
IN NIGERIA ..................................................................................... 115
5.3.1 Operation Purge the Nation ................................................... 116
5.3.2 Public Complaints Commission ............................................ 116
5.3.3 Code of Conduct Bureau ....................................................... 118
5.3.4 War Against Indiscipline ....................................................... 119
5.3.5 Public Accounts Committee .................................................. 119
5.3.6 Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ......................... 120
5.3.7 Economic And Financial Crime Commission ....................... 122
6.0 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’S FOREIGN CORRUPT
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PRACTICES ACT (FCPA) AND ITS EFFECTS ON NIGERIA ................ 124
6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 124
6.2 FACILITATION PAYMENTS UNDER THE FCPA:
CORRUPTION OR NOT CORRUPTION! ITS EFFECTS
ON NIGERIA .................................................................................... 125
6.3 LANDMARK CASES OF FACILITATION PAYMENTS
UNDER THE FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT
(FCPA) BY UNITED STATES CORPORATIONS TO
NIGERIAN OFFICIALS ................................................................... 127
7.0 STRENGTHING OF ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSIONS AND
LAWS IN NIGERIA ..................................................................................... 132
7.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 132
7.2 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT
BUREAU (CCB), INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES
AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC),
AND THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES
COMMISSION (EECC) .................................................................... 137
7.2.1 Legal Analysis of The Code Of Conduct Bureau (CCB) ...... 138
7.2.1.1 Establishment of Code of Conduct Tribunal ............. 140
7.2.1.2 Powers of the tribunal to impose punishment ........... 140
7.2.1.3 Asset declaration under the Code of Conduct
Bureau........................................................................ 141
7.2.1.4 Investigative and Monitoring powers of the Bureau . 144
7.2.1.5 Education and Advisory Services Department .......... 144
7.2.1.6 Maintaining bank accounts in any country outside
Nigeria ....................................................................... 145
7.2.1.7 Conclusion ................................................................. 146
7.3 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE CORRUPT PRACTICES AND
OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC) ............. 147
7.3.1 The Issue of Presumption of Innocence, Burden of Proof
and Evidential Burden ........................................................... 147
7.3.2 The Issue of Protection of Whistle Blowers .......................... 149
7.3.3 Conclusion ............................................................................. 150
7.4 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL
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CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC) ................................................... 151
7.4.1 The Issue of Independence of the Commission ..................... 152
7.4.2 The Issue of Prosecution of Offences and Compulsory
Interrogation .......................................................................... 162
7.5 THE OVERLAPPING FUNCTIONS IN THE CORRUPT
PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES
COMMISSION ACT (ICPC) AND THE ECONOMIC AND
FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION ACT (EFCC) .................... 164
7.5.1 Investigation of Offences and Interrogation of Offenders .... 165
7.5.2 Arrest, Search, Seizure and Forfeiture .................................. 166
7.5.3 Decision to Prosecute ............................................................ 168
7.5.4 Jurisdiction of the Court ........................................................ 169
7.5.5 Conclusion ............................................................................. 170
7.6 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW AND ITS CRITICAL
ROLE IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION; EXPERIENCES OF
INDIA’S RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT (RTI) AND
THE SOUTH AFRICA’S PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO
INFORMATION ACT (PAIA) ......................................................... 171
7.6.1 Right To Information Act (RIA); The Indian Experience ..... 182
7.6.2 Promotion Of Access To Information Act (PAIA) of
South Africa........................................................................... 187
7.7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 195
APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................... 197
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................ 200
APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................ 207
APPENDIX D ........................................................................................................... 211
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................... 214
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Description:Fatima Waziri. It was defended on. November 21, 2011 and approved by. Elena Baylis, Associate Professor, School of Law. Roza Pati, Dr. iur,
