Over N13b diverted from govt coffers in September alone – ICPC

From the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu came a revelation that over N13 billion in public funds were diverted in September 2024 alone.

Aliyu, who made this revelation on Wednesday in Abuja at the launch of the commission’s 2024-2028 Strategic Action Plan (SAP), said that the commission recovered the funds while discharging its mandate.

He said: “Over the past year, the ICPC has made significant progress in discharging its mandate. For example, we recovered over N13 billion in diverted public funds in September 2024 alone. This is just one of the many ways we have worked tirelessly to fulfil our mandate.”

He noted that the ICPC is developing a specialised curriculum aimed at enhancing the enforcement capacity of its personnel, adding that the initiative will equip officers with the skills and expertise needed to address the complexities of corruption cases with the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency.

In response to the findings from the third national corruption survey, Aliyu said that the commission has intensified efforts to broaden the reach of the anti-corruption campaign by actively engaging citizens, civil society, and the media.

“A key part of this initiative is our upcoming EthicsPod digital community, designed to foster a culture of transparency and accountability across both public offices and everyday life nationwide.

“These efforts are part of a comprehensive strategy, forming the backbone of our Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028, which builds on our past achievements and charts a clear path for the future.

“This SAP, in line with our ‘CARE for Impact’ initiative, provides a comprehensive roadmap for achieving our goals over the next five years. It aligns with key national policies such as the Nigeria Agenda 2050, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2022-2026, and the National Ethics and Integrity Policy, among others.

“As part of this strategy, we will continue to strengthen our institutional integrity and deepen collaborations with other stakeholders.

“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,” he added.