ICPC Calls for United Front Against Corruption in North-East
By Chizoba Njaka
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, has urged State Attorneys-General in the North-East to strengthen institutional integrity and deepen regional cooperation in the fight against corruption.
Dr. Aliyu who made the call during the ICPC Roundtable Engagement in Maiduguri, Borno State, emphasized that corruption undermines economies, fuels insecurity, and erodes public trust.
He stressed that a united approach between Federal and State governments is crucial to effectively address the scourge. "Punishment alone is not enough. We must combine approaches: recover stolen assets, restore justice to victims, strengthen our systems, and work together across institutions and regions," he stated.
In his keynote address, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, highlighted the importance of collaboration between State Attorneys-General and the ICPC. He noted that the region faces compounded challenges, making every naira lost to corruption a major setback. The partnership, he said, is a "strategic imperative" that guarantees faster investigations, stronger prosecutions, and more effective preventive measures.
Meanwhile , the roundtable culminated in a communiqué, reaffirming the participants' commitment to anti-corruption in the North-East. The agreement includes formalizing the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), strengthening preventive mechanisms, and establishing a joint intelligence-sharing and case management framework.
The communiqué also emphasized the importance of capacity building for prosecutors and investigators, particularly in modern tools such as data-driven risk management and forensic technology. Additionally, it highlighted the need for active public participation, using community leaders, civil society, and the media to communicate anti-corruption messages in local languages.
The agreement reached is an indication that the North-East states would take the lead in ensuring accountability at both state and local government levels, sustaining the collaboration between Federal and State institutions. This collaboration aims to strengthen governance in the zone and serve as a model for advancing integrity and accountability across the country.