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ICPC Recovered N13bn Looted Funds In September – Chair

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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.

 

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Crime

New Terrorist Group Strikes Kebbi, kills 15  

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A sense of fear gripped Mera town in Kebbi State’s Augie Local Government Area after a brutal assault by a newly emerged terrorist group, known as Lakurawa, left at least 15 residents dead.

 

The attack, which occurred just before Jumuat prayers, marks the group’s first mass killing, as they typically limited their operations to cattle theft and demands for “Zakat” from locals.

 

Witnesses say the Lakurawa militants stormed Mera and seized over 100 cattle, triggering a desperate chase by local residents into nearby bushland.

 

This pursuit resulted in a fierce gun battle, in which 15 villagers and two militants were killed. Alhaji Bashir Isah Mera (Yariman Mera), a prominent community leader, confirmed the fatalities, noting that the group, thought to be hiding in Sokoto, had increasingly escalated its violent tactics.

 

Responding swiftly to the siege, Kebbi State Governor deployed soldiers equipped with gun trucks and armored vehicles. High-ranking officials, including the Commanding Officer of Dukku Barracks, state security services, and the police, mobilized forces to secure the town, and both the state’s Deputy Governor and the Emir of Argungu visited to console affected families.

 

In a separate offensive against terror in the Lake Chad region, the Nigerian Air Force’s Operation Hadin Kai reported eliminating 70 ISWAP fighters in targeted airstrikes.

 

The strikes reportedly dismantled insurgent camps in Borno State’s Marte Local Government Area, dealing a blow to ISWAP factions under the command of Usman Russia.

 

Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda disclosed that intensified anti-banditry operations have led some bandit leaders to seek truce negotiations with his administration.

 

As his community watch corps continues its battle against insecurity, Radda emphasized his government’s commitment to reclaiming peace for terror-stricken communities.

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Crime

Man Gets 12 Strokes of Cane for Stealing Plastic Chairs

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A Chief Magistrates Court in Kaduna on Wednesday ordered that 24-year-old, Edward Williams should be lashed 12 strokes of cane for stealing 12 plastic chairs worth N224,000.

Williams, who resides in Ungwan Yelwa Television, Kaduna, was convicted after he pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and theft.

The Chief Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, sentenced the convict after he pleaded for leniency.

Emmanuel said the punishment would have been severe if he had not pleaded guilty, adding that the guilty plea had saved the court the pains of long prosecution.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Chidi Leo, told the court that the complainant, Sarah Nehemiah, of Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, reported the matter at the Sabon Police Station on October 29.

Leo told the court that at about 6:00 a.m., the convict burgled the complainant’s shop and stole 12 plastic chairs valued at N224,000.

According to him, the convict entered the shop through the ceiling and stole the chairs.

He said the convict, who was apprehended and handed over to the police by a security guard, admitted to committing the crime.

The prosecutor added that during the police investigations, the stolen plastic chairs were recovered from the convict.

The prosecutor said the offence contravene the provisions of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

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Crime

Two-Year Old Raped, Killed in Bauchi

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The Bauchi Police Command has revealed that a two-year-old child was raped and killed in Bauchi, the state capital.

Ahmed Wakil, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, said in a statement on Tuesday that the Ningi Police Divisional Headquarters received a report of a two-year-old baby’s motionless body discovered alongside a Mosque on Deneva Street in the Ningi Local Government Area, with suspected evidence of rape.

Wakil stated, “Upon receiving the report, detectives were dispatched to the scene, and the victim’s body was taken to the General Hospital Ningi, where a medical report confirmed that the baby had suffered severe injuries as a result of penetration, which led to her death.

“The state Commissioner of Police, Auwal Mohammed, has directed the Divisional Police Officer to make extra efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

“He also called on parents and guardians to ensure the safety of their children, not to allow them to wander around the streets.”

The leadership also asked the public for any information that could help apprehend and prosecute the criminal(s).

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