ICPC Chairman Urges Law Students to Champion Integrity, Fight Corruption
By Chizoba Njaka
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has urged Nigerian law students to make integrity the foundation of their professional lives and prepare to become the next generation of anti-corruption advocates.
Dr. Aliyu made the call on June 30 while delivering the keynote address at the Dean's Parley of the Faculty of Law, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja. Speaking on the theme, "Raising the Next Generation of Anti-Corruption Advocates in Nigeria," he challenged students and academics to promote ethical leadership alongside legal excellence.
He stressed that legal knowledge is morally neutral and can either protect wrongdoing or advance justice, depending on how it is applied. According to him, the legal profession must produce lawyers who combine professional competence with strong ethical values.
Describing corruption as a global challenge, Dr. Aliyu cited anti-corruption scholar Robert Klitgaard, noting that strong institutions and ethical leadership can significantly reduce corruption. He added that countries that effectively tackle corruption are better positioned to achieve sustainable development.
The ICPC chairman highlighted the consequences of corruption, saying it discourages investment, weakens public institutions, distorts resource allocation, erodes public trust and hinders human development. He also referenced the 2025–2026 Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre survey, which identified greed and lack of integrity as major drivers of corruption across 14 African countries.
To illustrate the impact of corruption, Dr. Aliyu cited the Supreme Court judgment in Yakubu v. FRN involving the diversion of billions of naira from the Nigerian Police Pension Fund, as well as a December 2025 Federal High Court ruling ordering the forfeiture of land linked to the abandoned Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate. He reiterated Justice Tijjani Abubakar's warning that corruption must never be seen as rewarding.
He outlined the Commission's preventive initiatives, including public enlightenment campaigns and anti-corruption education in partnership with the Nigerian Law School under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.
ICPC boss urged students to reject examination malpractice, bribery and other forms of dishonesty, stressing that national transformation begins with personal integrity.
In their remarks, Vice-Chancellor Professor Hakeem Babatunde, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Umaru Ndagi and Dean of the Faculty of Law Professor Uwakwe Abugu commended Dr. Aliyu's address.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that corruption in tertiary institutions manifests through cultism, sexual harassment, plagiarism and examination malpractice, urging students to report misconduct through the university's open-door policy.