Military Rulers as Harbingers of Corruption in

Abstract

This study examined corruption as the major issue of underdevelopment in Nigeria and how the military rulers and their cabinets both in the military era and the era of democracy have been involved in cases of gross corruption. It also aimed at stating how far the tentacles of corruption have reduced Nigeria to being a third world country since independence and how corruption can be kicked out of the country. This was a comparative study of the acts of corruption among Nigerian Leaders, while focusing majorly on those with military background. This did not in any way undermined the authority of the military but rather showed the ills of having the military in power and those with a military history in a position of leadership in a democratic dispensation. The study was qualitative in nature and made use of published and unpublished books, internet materials and existing works that are related to Corruption and the Military; these were all used in fulfilling the objectives of the study. This study served as a reservoir of truth and reveled that Nigeria is a country blessed with more than enough resources to make her a developed nation, but the corrupt practices of the Nigerian leaders right from inception had stopped this from being achieved. It was recommended that stringent and realistic methods must be taken to wage war against corruption to make Nigeria a corruption free country. This would also allow Nigeria to soar to greater heights and thus lead to key developments in the country.