The Chairman of the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu, says the commission recovered more than N20 billion and other properties from corrupt individuals in 2024.
Aliyu said this on Monday in Ilorin during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a Conference of State Attorneys-General in the North-Central Zones.
The conference’s theme was “Strengthening Subnational Synergies for Corruption Prevention: Advancing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy in Nigeria’s North Central Region.”
Aliyu, who noted that corruption was not only at the federal level but also at the sub-nationals, said that prevention was more strategic, less costly, and would help retain the country’s assets and resources.
The ICPC boss, however, said that the commission was ensuring that assets taken outside the shores of Africa and recovered were not looted again.
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr Abdullahi Bello, declared the event open and said that corruption remained a significant obstacle to Nigeria’s progress. He further said the bureau had introduced initiatives to enhance transparency and accountability among public servants.
Also, the Kwara Attorney-General,
Senior Sulyman called for more coordinated efforts to fight corruption. He commended the ICPC for ensuring the country’s anti-corruption mandate while reiterating the state government’s commitment to zero corruption.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-corruption, Mr Kayode Akiolu, said that corruption was a national phenomenon that had prevented the country from delivering its national promises since independence. He also said the national assembly was committed to winning the battle against corruption, adding that the 10th assembly had ensured the adequate funding of anti-corruption agencies.
In his remarks, Sen. Emmanuel Udende, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption, said attorneys general are the custodians of justice at state levels and must be heard. He commended the ICPC for decentralising the fight against corruption, calling for unified action.
In his remarks, the State Chief Judge, Justice Abiodun Adebara, said that joint efforts were needed to implement the five pillars of anti-corruption.
Present at the conference were the Attorneys-General of Kogi, Plateau, Niger and Nasarawa states.
