By Abiola Olawale
In a significant announcement, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Adamu Aliyu, revealed that a whopping sum of over ₦13 billion in diverted public funds was successfully recovered in September 2024.
Aliyu, who made this known during the launch of the commission’s 2024-2028 strategic action plan in Abuja, failed to mention the company or individuals the funds were recovered from.
According to him, the operatives of the anti-graft agency are up to task in the fight against corruption.
Aliyu also disclosed that plans are underway to digitalise the commission’s operations.
He added that this would enable more efficient investigations and case management, among other improvements.
He said: “Over the past year, the ICPC has made significant progress in discharging its mandate; for example, we recovered over ₦13 billion in diverted public funds in September 2024 alone. This is just one of the many ways we have worked tirelessly to fulfil 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 further mentioned that a specialised curriculum is being developed to enhance the enforcement capacity of the commission’s personnel, equipping officers with the necessary skills to handle complex corruption cases with professionalism and efficiency.
He noted that the agency is working on decentralising anti-corruption efforts by empowering state governments through their Attorneys General, allowing for more effective corruption prevention at the local level.
In his address, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, reiterated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration prioritises the fight against corruption.
He said: “The fight against corruption remains a cornerstone of this administration’s agenda, as we recognise that corruption is a cancer that eats away at the very fabric of our society. It undermines trust, weakens institutions, and hampers our progress as a nation.
“In this light, the work of the ICPC is of paramount importance, not only in ensuring that corrupt practices are identified and prosecuted but also in fostering a culture of integrity and accountability across all sectors.”
The New Diplomat reports that ICPC’s mandate is to receive and investigate reports of corruption and, in appropriate cases, prosecute the offender(s), to examine, review and enforce the correction of corruption-prone systems and procedures of public bodies, to eliminate corruption in public life.
The latest revelation comes amid probing of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) by the ICPC over alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion subsidy, among other cases.
