In September, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) made a significant announcement – they had successfully recovered ₦13 billions of diverted public funds.
Dr. Musa Aliyu, the ICPC Chairman, announced this during his speech at the launch of ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 in Abuja. He called it a remarkable achievement.
According to him, the impressive haul proves the commission’s dedication to fighting corruption in Nigeria.
“Over the past years, the ICPC has made significant progress in discharging its mandate; for example, we recovered over ₦13 billion 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,” he said.
“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 mentioned that they had a great conference with state attorneys-general in September. More than 30 state chief law officers were there!
“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,” he noted.
“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 added.
The ICPC boss emphasized the importance of cracking down on corruption.
“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 (ACTUs) in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), 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 stated.
According to him, we all had to give up something, be disciplined, and be honest for the journey.