Author(s) :

AISHA MAHMOUD AD RUFAI , IBRAHIM BRAJI, PhD.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Abstract Corruption remains a critical impediment to national development and security in Nigeria. This study investigates the role of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in combating corruption and its implications for national security. Anchored on the Institutional Theory and State Fragility Theory, the study adopts a qualitative case study approach, relying exclusively on secondary data sources, including official reports, academic literature, and policy documents. Content analysis was employed to interpret and evaluate the EFCC’s institutional performance and its contribution to the broader national security framework. Findings reveal that while the EFCC has recorded significant achievements in prosecuting high-profile corruption cases and recovering looted assets, its operations are constrained by political interference, weak judicial processes, and limited integration into Nigeria’s national security architecture. Furthermore, public trust in the EFCC remains fragile due to perceptions of selective prosecution and lack of transparency. The study concludes that anti-corruption interventions, if not strategically aligned with national security objectives, will remain insufficient to address the structural and financial drivers of insecurity. Four key recommendations are proposed: legal and institutional reforms to strengthen EFCC autonomy; the establishment of special anti-corruption courts; the integration of anti-corruption measures into national security policy; and enhanced civic engagement and oversight. The study contributes to the growing discourse on governance and security by emphasizing the strategic importance of anti-corruption enforcement as a tool for state stabilization. It underscores the need for a holistic, coordinated, and politically insulated anti-corruption regime in Nigeria. Keywords: Corruption, National Security, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Institutional Reform, Governance

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