Kogi, Gombe, Rivers and Adamawa are the most corrupt states in Nigeria, according to the latest report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report titled, ‘The 2nd Corruption Survey Report in Nigeria’ and released in Abuja yesterday, Friday, December 6, 2019, showed Kogi as the most corrupt state with 48 per cent score, followed by Gombe (45 per cent); Rivers (43 per cent); and Adamawa (41 per cent).

Conversely, Imo is the least corrupt state in the country with 17.6 per cent prevalence, followed closely by Jigawa, Kano and Plateau states.

On a zonal basis, the most corrupt geopolitical zone is the North-Central, while the North-West recorded the least corruption cases.

The Nigeria Police Force retained its position as the leading corrupt public agency in Nigeria, a position which it occupied in the first corruption survey report on Nigeria presented in 2016.

In the latest report, police officers led the charts with 33 per cent (down from 46 per cent in 2016), followed by land registry officers (26 per cent); and revenue officers (25 per cent). The least corrupt officials in 2019 are health workers with five per cent.

The report indicated a slight reduction in corruption cases, particularly bribery, nationwide. While the prevalence of bribery was 32.3 per cent in 2016; in 2019, it dropped to 30.2 per cent.

The report, based on data collected from a total of 33,067 persons in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through interviews, noted that while the drop might not be “substantial”, it’s an indication that Nigerians were rejecting bribery somehow.

The NBS conducted the survey with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other partner international organs.

The highlights of the report were presented at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, by the Statistician General, NBS, Dr Yemi Kale, and the Country Representative of UNODC in Nigeria, Mr Oliver Stople. Kale was represented by Mr Yemi Adeleran.

•Adapted from a report by Saturday PUNCH.

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