The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission announced the recovery of N13 billion in misappropriated public funds in September.
ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), who made the news during his welcome address at the unveiling of the ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 on Wednesday in Abuja, termed the feat as amazing.
According to him, the impressive haul demonstrates the commission’s unrelenting efforts to tackle corruption and ensure accountability in Nigeria.
“Over the past years, the ICPC has made significant progress in discharging its mandate. For example, we recovered over N13bn diverted public funds in September 2024 alone. This is just one of the many ways we have worked tirelessly to fulfill our mandate.
“We are also embarking on ICT reforms that will digitalise our operations and enable more efficient investigations, case management, and internal processes.
“This transformation will position the commission as a leader in leveraging technology to combat corruption, keeping us one step ahead of criminal activities in the digital age,” he said.
Aliyu stated that the commission was also building a specific curriculum to improve the enforcement capacity of ICPC personnel.
“This initiative equips our officers with the skills and expertise needed to address the complexities of corruption cases with the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency. We are decentralising the anti-corruption efforts by empowering state governments through the mobilisation of state attorneys-general. This approach ensures that state governments are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and resources necessary to effectively combat corruption at the local level,” he said.
The ICPC Chairman remembered the commission’s successful conference with state attorneys-general in September, which was attended by more than 30 state senior law officers.
He stated that in response to the findings of the Third National Corruption Survey, the commission has increased efforts to widen the reach of the anti-corruption campaign by actively engaging individuals, civil society, and the media.
Our planned EthicsPod internet community will play an important role in fostering a culture of transparency and accountability in both public offices and ordinary life across the country.
“These efforts are part of a comprehensive strategy, forming the backbone of our Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028, which builds on our past achievements and charts a clear path for the future,” he said.
“SAP, in line with our ‘CARE for Impact’ initiative (Culture, Accountability, Responsibility, and Efficiency), provided a comprehensive roadmap for achieving our goals over the next five years.
“It aligns with key national policies such as the Nigeria Agenda 2050, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2022-2026, and the National Ethics and Integrity Policy, among others.
“As part of this strategy, we will continue to strengthen our institutional integrity and deepen collaborations with other stakeholders,” he said.
The ICPC boss stressed the need to intensify efforts on prevention of corruption and corrupt practices.
“As we know, prevention is better than cure, and the ICPC has intensified efforts to identify institutional and administrative vulnerabilities through System Studies and Corruption Risk Assessments.
“We have also continued to engage with the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units in ministries, departments, and agencies, reinforcing our grassroots monitoring mechanisms.
“As we look ahead, the success of this strategic plan will rely heavily on synergy, collaboration, and strategic partnerships, and I want to reaffirm the ICPC’s commitment to a multi-agency approach in tackling corruption,” he said.
According to him, the journey required collective sacrifice, discipline, and integrity from all stakeholders.
“Together, we can institutionalise integrity in our systems and mobilise our citizenry to embrace the anti-corruption war,” Aliyu said.
