Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for strengthened civilian oversight of Nigeria’s defence sector—both in legislative and administrative processes—as a necessary step to curb corruption and improve accountability.
Mallam Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, made the call on Thursday during a South-East regional press conference in Enugu. He was represented by CISLAC Programme Manager, Jimoh Abubakar.
Speaking on the theme, “Nigeria’s Defence Sector: Persistent Corruption Risk Amidst Escalating Security Threats,” Rafsanjani emphasized the urgent need for institutional reforms.
The report, jointly published by Transparency International Defence and Security and CISLAC, underscores how weak oversight mechanisms in Nigeria’s defence architecture have enabled corruption to thrive, even as security threats escalate nationwide.
According to the report, empowering the legislature—particularly parliamentary committees—with the skills and authority to effectively oversee defence strategies, budgets, and arms imports is essential.
“There must also be robust administrative oversight of military expenditures through external auditing and improved tracking of financial outlays,” the report noted.
It further recommended tighter procurement practices, including the establishment of tender boards and anti-collusion measures, to improve transparency and accountability.
The report also advocated greater inclusion of civil society and the media in national security strategy development and policy implementation processes.
It urged Nigeria to adopt internationally accepted exceptions for defence and security within its legal framework, particularly in the application of the Right to Information (RTI) law and information classification systems.
“This is critical for ensuring transparency in procurement and budgetary processes,” CISLAC stated.
Additionally, the group called for adequate monitoring mechanisms to ensure gender-related compliance in the defence and security sector, saying this would help prevent gender-based violence and abuse during operations.
“It has become imperative to fully implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 to integrate women’s participation and representation at all levels of decision-making in the defence and security sector,” the report added.
CISLAC said the policy brief draws on findings from the 2020 Government Defence Integrity Index (GDI), policy literature, recent news reports, and contextual analysis by the Nigerian chapter of Transparency International.
