The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of over N13 billion in diverted public funds in September 2024 alone.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, made this disclosure during his welcome address at the launch of the ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 on Wednesday in Abuja, describing the recovery as a significant achievement.
He mentioned that this success reflects the commission’s unwavering efforts to combat corruption and promote accountability in Nigeria.
“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,” he said.
Efforts to Prevent Corruption and Corrupt Practices
Speaking further, Aliyu also highlighted some of the efforts to prevent corrupt practices across the country.
For instance, he said that the commission was also developing a specialised curriculum aimed at enhancing the enforcement capacity of our personnel.
“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 said.
What you should know
Recently, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) inaugurated a 12-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) within the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Nairametrics reported that this was officially launched at the FIRS headquarters in Abuja where it was mandated to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and unethical practices within the revenue agency.
The Commission chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, said the unit’s mandate, which includes sensitizing staff on corruption, examining systems vulnerable to malpractice, developing and enforcing ethical codes, monitoring budget implementation, and initiating preliminary investigations into complaints.
According to Aliyu, this Unit is part of the commission’s effort to manage, curb and prevent corruption in the system.
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