The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of N13 billion diverted public funds by fraudsters in September this year following its intensified drive to curb corruption in the country.
The Chairman of the commission, Dr Musa Aliyu, who made this disclosure in his welcome address at the launch of ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 on Wednesday in Abuja, described the feat as a remarkable achievement.
According to him, the recovery demonstrated the commission’s relentless efforts at combating corruption and ensuring accountability in Nigeria.
He said: ”Over the past years, the ICPC has made significant progress in discharging its mandate; for example, we recovered over N13 billion 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”, Aliyu added.
According to him, the anti-graft agency is currently developing a specialised curriculum aimed at enhancing the enforcement capacity of our personnel as part of the efforts to equip the officers with the skills and expertise needed to address the complexities of corruption cases with the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency.
In addition, the Chairman also explained that the commission had been decentralising the anti-corruption efforts by empowering state governments through the mobilisation of state Attorneys-General to ensure that state governments are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and resources necessary to effectively combat corruption at the local level.
Aliyu recalled that the anti-graft agency held a conference with states’ Attorneys-General in September at which more than 30 state chief law officers attended and participated during the discussions
He pointed that in response to the findings from the Third National Corruption Survey, the commission was also intensifying its efforts to deepen the anti-corruption campaign cruzade by actively engaging citizens, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media.
The chairman further clarified: ”A key part of this initiative is our upcoming EthicsPod digital community, designed to foster a culture of transparency and accountability across both public offices and everyday life nationwide.
”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.
“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”, Aliyu assured.
