Empirical Investigation of Perceived Organisational Justice and Counterproductive Work Behaviour Among Civil Servants in Gombe State, North East Nigeria

Organisational justice perceptions are among the most robust predictors of counterproductive work behaviour in occupational psychology, yet the specific justice dimensions most relevant to Nigerian public sector contexts have not been analytically examined. This study empirically investigates the relationship between perceived organisational justice and counterproductive work behaviour among civil servants in Gombe State, North East Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey is applied to 270 civil servants from four state government ministries in Gombe, selected through proportionate stratified sampling. The Colquitt Organisational Justice Scale and the Counterproductive Work Behaviour Checklist are administered alongside a questionnaire capturing years of service, salary grade, supervisory status, and justice sensitivity. Multiple regression and path analysis are performed using SPSS and AMOS. Literature from North East Nigerian public sector psychology identifies distributive and interpersonal justice as the two most predictive justice dimensions for counterproductive behaviour in civil service contexts, with corruption and absenteeism as the most prevalent counterproductive behaviour forms. Greenberg's Organisational Justice Theory and Adams's Equity Theory provide the theoretical framework. This study addresses a significant empirical gap in North East Nigerian organisational psychology. Findings will inform Gombe State Civil Service Commission on justice-enhancing management practices that reduce counterproductive behaviour. Keywords: organisational justice, counterproductive work behaviour, civil servants, Gombe State, North East Nigeria.