The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has urged Nigerians to look at a more broader picture and not just blame the political elites alone of corruption.
The Chairman of ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu, said this in Calabar at a two-day retreat for the board and management staff of the commission on Wednesday.
Aliyu, who said the problem of corruption in Nigeria was societal, noted that corruption was perpetuated both at the top and bottom levels of the society.
“We keep on having this problem in Nigeria because once corruption is less risky and largely beneficial, it will continue to happen.
“If the people know that once they are caught they will be punished, it will discourage them from engaging in corruption like it is practiced in nations like China,” he said.
The ICPC boss said that since the political elites were at the helm of affairs, they were perceived to be more corrupt.
Aliyu, however, said that there have been no political interference in their anti-corruption fight, which had enabled them make major recoveries.
He said that the commission achieved a lot in 2024, which included membership in major global organisations to trace and recover the nation’s stolen assets.
He added that in 2025, the commission commenced the Local Government Corruption Prevention Programme.
Similarly, Sen. Emmanuel Udende, Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, said with persistence, public enlightenment, enforcement and asset recovery, there had been significant impact in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.
Udende, however, noted that the challenge of corruption continued to evolve, becoming more complex, digital and embedded in governance structure.
He urged the ICPC to use the retreat as an opportunity to critically review existing strategies, reinforce internal accountability and deepen the preventive mandate while ensuring effective public engagement in the fight.
On his part, Justice Emmanuel Agim, a Judge of the Supreme Court, called on all anti-graft agencies in the nation to strictly follow the framework provided by the nation’s existing laws on managing assets recoveries.
Presenting a paper on the topic: “Empowering the ICPC: Leveraging Civil Forfeiture and Asset Recovery Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022, Agim said there could be no efficient enforcement of criminal law if the law was not followed.
Mr Ededem Ani, the Attorney General of Cross River, said the retreat was a reminder of the importance of collaboration in the fight against corruption, which was not a responsibility of one institution alone.
According to him, corruption undermines development and erodes public trust.
“So as a government, we are committed to supporting all lawful efforts aimed at sanitising our governance structure,” he maintained.
NAN
