ICPC recovers N13bn diverted public funds

Usman, NSCDC Deputy Commandant, Registrar, Public funds, ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of N13 billion diverted public funds in September 2024.

The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), disclosed this at the launch of ICPC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 in Abuja, on Wednesday, October 2.

Aliyu described the feat as a remarkable achievement, saying the impressive haul was a testament to 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 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.

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“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.”

The ICPC chairman stated that the commission was also developing a specialised curriculum aimed at enhancing the enforcement capacity of its personnel.

Aliyu added: “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.”

The ICPC boss recalled that the commission held a conference with state attorneys-general in September, adding that more than 30 state chief law officers attended.

Aliyu said in response to the findings from the Third National Corruption Survey, the commission had intensified efforts to broaden the reach of the anti-corruption campaign by actively engaging citizens, civil society, and the media.

He further stressed the need to intensify efforts on the prevention of corruption and corrupt practices.

“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,” Aliyu added.

The Star