The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has responded to a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request from legal analyst Tunde Ahmed Adejumo, who sought the names and particulars of Judges and Magistrates allegedly involved in bribery, as reported in the Bureau’s recent “Quality and Integrity of Public Services in Nigeria Survey.”

In a letter dated July 18, 2024, the NBS clarified that the survey methodology did not include questions seeking specific details about individual Judges or Magistrates who demanded bribes from respondents. Instead, the survey aimed to understand broader patterns and trends of bribery within the public sector, including the judiciary, through generalized questions.

The NBS explained that respondents were asked if they had contact with any public official in the last year and if the official solicited any form of bribe. If the response was affirmative, respondents were asked to provide the amount involved. This approach allows the Bureau to estimate the prevalence and aggregated amount of bribes paid to public officials without compromising individual identities.

The Bureau also highlighted the formation of Steering and Technical Committees comprising representatives from various government agencies to guide the survey process, ensuring stakeholder engagement and oversight.

Citing the Statistics Act 2007, the NBS emphasized the confidentiality of information collected from respondents, stating that data collected is used solely for statistical purposes and cannot be disclosed in a manner that identifies individuals or entities without their explicit consent.

Furthermore, the NBS pointed out that the Freedom of Information Act 2011 includes provisions that protect information deemed confidential under other laws, such as exemptions for information that could interfere with contractual negotiations or professional privileges conferred by an Act.

In conclusion, the NBS stated that it is unable to grant Adejumo’s request for details of Judges or Magistrates involved in alleged bribery due to its obligations under the Statistics Act 2007 and the principles of official data production. The Bureau urged Adejumo to read the report in its entirety to gain a better understanding of the survey’s objectives, design, and methodology.

network error
Recall a recent report published on the National Bureau of Statistics website indicates that a staggering sum of N721 billion ($1.26 billion) was disbursed as cash bribes to public officials in 2023. The report, derived from a survey jointly conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) under the title “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, highlights the pervasive issue of corruption within the country. The average cash bribe documented in this report stood at N8,284, a notable increase from the previous nominal amount recorded in 2019 at N5,754.

The comprehensive survey estimated a total of $1.26 billion exchanged hands as bribes to public officials in the same year. Breaking down the data by recipient, judges emerged as the recipients of the highest average bribe amount, receiving N31,000 per bribe. Following closely were the Nigeria Customs and Immigration Service officials at N17,800, members of the armed forces at N16,600, land registry officials at N11,700, and police officials at N10,400. These figures underscore the deep-rooted nature of corruption across various sectors and the pressing need for stringent anti-corruption measures to curb this pervasive phenomenon.

Additionally, the report noted that 46 percent of public officials employed by the government resorted to offering bribes for employment opportunities or to expedite their recruitment processes. This figure represents a considerable increase—1.5 times higher than that revealed in a previous survey conducted in 2019.