Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies love numbers. In September 2024, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced it had recovered ₦4 billion in just 24 hours. Earlier in 2025, the EFCC boasted about nearly $500 million recovered in one year and over 4,000 convictions.…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
On paper, this looks like a victory. Billions clawed back. Thousands jailed. Endless press briefings. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: if corruption were truly losing, why does it feel like Nigeria is sinking deeper into it?
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The Illusion of Numbers
Let’s be clear: recoveries and convictions matter. They show that someone, somewhere, is doing the work. But the obsession with big figures and conviction counts often hides the real story.
How many of those 4,000 convictions were actually high-profile politicians, not low-level fraudsters or “yahoo boys”?
Of the billions recovered, how much has been transparently reinvested into schools, hospitals, or infrastructure?
Why are the same scandals repeating—refineries, contracts, ghost projects—despite all these “victories”?
In other words, are we winning the battles but losing the war?
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Why Corruption Still Wins
Corruption in Nigeria isn’t just about stolen money—it’s about systems designed to enable looting.
Weak prosecution: Big men get endless adjournments, plea bargains, and soft landings.
Political protection: Cross over to the ruling party, and your sins are washed away.
Zero transparency: Recovered funds often vanish into new black holes with no accountability.
This is why despite all the EFCC press releases and ICPC headlines, ordinary Nigerians still see corruption as untouchable.…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
