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  • NEIP: ICPC harps on collective fight against corruption

    NEIP: ICPC harps on collective fight against corruption

    … says Nigerians improving on ethics, integrity

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says implementing the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP) improves compliance with ethics and integrity while urging Nigerians to join the fight against corruption.

     

    ICPC asserted this while participating in an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by PRIMORG, on Wednesday, 3 April 2024, in Abuja.

     

    ICPC’s Deputy Director and Head of Education Division, Okor Odey, while speaking on the impact of the implementation of NEIP since it was adopted by the federal government in 2020, stated that people’s consciousness and awareness to maintaining high ethical and integrity standards have been on the ascendency.

     

    According to Odey, the National Ethics and Integrity Policy was based on the government’s need to re-orientate citizens on values and ethics. He noted that the policy is centred on citizens and organizations upholding “the core values of human dignity, voice and participation, patriotism, personal responsibility, integrity, national unity, and professionalism.”

     

    He tasked Nigerians to rise to the occasion and play their role in the fight against corruption, adding that decent societies worldwide are operating and succeeding because they uphold these core values, and Nigeria cannot be an exception.

     

    While stressing the need for a collective fight against corruption in Nigeria, Okor said, “Some politicians are corrupt, some bankers are corrupt, some teachers are corrupt, some medical doctors are corrupt, some broadcasters are corrupt, and some anti-corruption agents are corrupt.

    “So we just have to fight it. Everybody needs to wake up and fight corruption from your level”.

     

    He restated that the Commission is making marked progress with NEIP, “We are making progress with the promotion of National Ethics and Integrity Policy, people are getting more interested, some groups and individuals have taken up the advocacy and speaking about it on their own, so we are making progress.

     

    “To implement NEIP, ICPC is partnering with the National Orientation Agency and the federation government.

     

    “We have engaged with youth organizations, women’s societies, professional bodies, business management organizations, and civil society organizations. We hold town hall meetings, seminars, and conferences. We are engaging the National Council of Traditional Rulers,” Odey stated.

     

    He, however, identified lack of funds as a major barrier to getting the message contained in the National Ethics and Integrity Policy across the 36 states of the federation.

     

    “The major challenge is funding to promote this policy across the length and breadth of the country. ICPC has offices in only 21 states; we have covered practically every state in Nigeria, but not every local government,” Odey stressed.

     

    On her part, ICPC’s Assistant Director of Ethics, Values, and Community Engagements, Dr. Anike Adesina, described citizens’ response to NEIP so far as positive, adding that the impact was already energizing some people to stand for their rights.

     

    Her word: “Citizens response so far, I would say, has been encouraging. You know, we’ve had cases where people told us – the Commission has also successfully published the policy document (NEIP) in three major languages.

    “Since 2020, the journey has been very encouraging.”

     

    Adesina assured that the Commission will continue retooling and reviewing its programs to ensure Nigerians assimilate and imbibe the core values of NEIP.

     

    Speaking on IPCC’s last report of the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which indicted over 90 federal government agencies, Adesina revealed that the exercise is improving ethics and integrity in public offices

     

    She noted that the primary aim of the scorecard for ministries is to draw MDA’s attention to their lapses and for correction, not punishment or witch-hunt.

     

    Adesina assured that the Commission will continue frowning on unethical acts and integrity issues in public offices, adding that there are always consequences for MDAs found wanting.

     

    Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

    The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.

  • ICPC says Constituency Projects tracking declining corruption, urge Nigerians to report infractions

    ICPC says Constituency Projects tracking declining corruption, urge Nigerians to report infractions

    The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has disclosed readiness to ensure value for the vast sums of money spent on constituency projects and resolve to continue prosecuting culprits.

     

    Aliyu assured that the anti-graft agency would go after contractors or individuals who commit infractions while divulging that the introduction of constituency project tracking in 2019 had consistently reduced the incidence of corruption in the execution of Zonal Intervention Projects, ZIPs, popularly called Constituency Projects.

     

    He made this known during a radio town hall meeting on constituency project tracking in Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency, organized by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, at the weekend in Keffi, Nasarawa state.

     

    ICPC Chairman, represented by the Commission’s Acting Director of Operations, Shehu Yahaya, urged citizens to report cases of abandoned or poorly executed projects and other infractions in constituency projects around them.

     

    Yahaya assured that the Commission will investigate the erosion control project in Angwa Jabba, Alubo Community, Karu, Nasarawa state, which has failed to take off since 2023 despite the reported release of funds.

     

    He said, “If a project is done and does not meet standard, ICPC will make the contractor correct the problem; if a project is overpriced, we recover the excess. Where there is a total failure, we (ICPC) will make them return to the site, but if the infraction is severe, we will prosecute in court.

     

    “ICPC is statutorily obliged to investigate and take action against reports of infractions in constituency projects, whether it is part of the projects we are tracking that period or not. So, I will report to the relevant officers to look into the failed erosion control project in Angwar Jabba, Alubo, Karu, Nasarawa state

     

    “If constituents of Karu, Keffi, or elsewhere write to us (ICPC) or bring issues of abandoned projects, poorly executed projects, or infractions, we will look into it,” Yahaya assured.

     

    He noted that “ICPC’s primary aim of tracking constituency projects across Nigeria is for the government to get value for money it is spending on Zonal Intervention Projects, improve service delivery and ensure projects are executed according to specifications.

     

    “In the course of tracking projects, we come across abandoned projects, overpriced or inflated projects, but at the moment, we have seen that some of the infractions that existed before now are on the decline, and citizens are getting more interested – these are some of the achievements on the ground.”

     

    Yahaya clarified that the Commission can’t track every project but select a few because of manpower, noting that tracking constituency projects comes in phases and projects to be tracked are professionally selected in collaboration with civil society groups and the media.

     

    On his part, a member of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. John Ovey, represented by his Special Adviser, Hon. Michael Gambo Anzaku, revealed the lawmaker prioritizes needs assessment before conceptualizing projects in his constituency.

     

    Anzaku promised to report issues of poorly constructed road projects in one of the communities while commending PRIMORG for availing them the opportunity to enlighten the public.

     

    “My principal factors in needs assessment of the community when bringing projects and have been putting a structure on the ground for sustainability of projects by forming committees to oversee the day-to-day running of completed projects.”

     

    Nasarawa State Officer, BudgIT, Princess Sarah Musa, identified the politicization of sharing of empowerment projects as a serious challenge of constituency project tracking, adding that the needs assessment of projects sponsored by lawmakers remains a big problem.

     

    Musa called on the government to beam their searchlight on the quality of service delivered by contractors and urged citizens to stop being laid back on following up on constituency projects.

     

    “From my experience on the field, less than 70 percent of representatives carry out needs assessments, contractors are using substandard materials to construct projects, resulting in longevity issues; the government must go hard on contractors,” she stressed.

     

    A resident of Keffi, Nasiru Yahaya, on his part, lauded the constituency projects initiative, saying that “it is helping his community to enjoy the dividends of democracy.”

     

    He revealed that people in their constituency are provided with different channels to reach their representatives and lay complaints about their challenges. Additionally, people today are more aware that they need to maintain and prevent constituency projects from undue harm.

     

    The PRIMORG’s Radio Town Hall Meeting on Constituency Projects seeks to encourage citizens to take ownership of Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) and promote accountability and sustainability in their execution and usage.

  • ICPC lawyer not qualified to practice, Suspended UNICAL professor tells court

    ICPC lawyer not qualified to practice, Suspended UNICAL professor tells court

    Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), has told a Federal High Court, Abuja that Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)’s counsel, was not qualified to practice as lawyer.

    Prof. Ndifon, through his lawyer, Joe Agi, SAN, made the allegation in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023 before Justice James Omotosho.

    The suspended dean, who alleged that Akponimisingha’s name was not on the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria pursuant to Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act, prayed the court to quashed the four-count charge against him and his co-defendant, Mr Sunny Anyanwu.

    In the motion dated and filed March 15, the senior lawyer told the court that the amended charge was incompetent as a result of the disputed identity of the anti-graft agency’s lawyer, and robbed the court of its jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

    Agi said he owed the court the duty to bring the alleged professional misconduct by Akponimisingha, as well as a breach of the law of the land, to the attention of the court as sworn to by him in his oath of declaration as Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    According to him, the amended charge was preferred by one Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha a person whose name is not on the roll of Legal Practitioners in Nigeria pursuant to Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act.

    “That Joshua E. Alobo who appears for the prosecution as counsel as a private legal oractitioner in a criminal case does not have the fiat of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation.

    “That both Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha and Joshua E. Alobo answer in this court and caused to print on their processes the title “Dr.” “Professor” when they do not have the academic qualifications to show for the titles, thereby misrepresenting themselves to the public and bringing legal profession to ridicule and shame,” he alleged.

    Agi, therefore, sought an order striking out the amended charge in the case, having been incompetent and “preferred by a person whose name is not on the roll of Legal Practitioners in Nigeria pursuant to Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act and thus robbing this court of its jurisdiction.

    “An order of court striking out all the appearance of Joshua E. Alobo from the prosecution counsel for appearing as a private legal practitioner in a criminal case without the fiat of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation.

    “An order of court referring both Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha and Joshua E. Alobo to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for answering and caused to print on their processes the title ‘Dr’ and ‘Professor’ when they do not have the academic qualifications to show for the titles thereby misrepresenting themselves to the public and bringing legal profession to ridicule and shame.”

    Also in the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Anyanwu, he said the grant of the application would aid the cause of justice and also aid the mandates of the ICPC established to fight corruption in all sphere of our nation.

    According to him, it will be in the interest of justice to allow the reliefs sought having regard to the entire circumstances of this case.

    Ndifon was, on Jan. 25, re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

    Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on Jan. 22 by the ICPC on allegation that he called TKJ, the star witness, on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threatened her.

    NAN

  • ICPC closes case against UNICAL professor, lawyer

    ICPC closes case against UNICAL professor, lawyer

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Wednesday, closed its case against Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), and his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu.

    ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Abuja after Bwaigu Fungo, the 4th prosecution witness, a Forensic and Intelligence Analyst with the commission, was cross-examined by the defence lawyer, Joe Agi, SAN.

    Akponimisingha had earlier informed the court that the anti-corruption commission had about seven witnesses and also planned to amend the charge to increase the witness number in proving their case against the defendants.

    Ndifon was, on Jan. 25, re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

    Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on Jan. 22 by the ICPC on allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threatened her.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts.

    Justice Omotosho had, on Friday, granted bail to Ndifon. and Anyanwu in the sum of N250 million and N50 million respectively with two sureties each in the like sum.

    Upon resumed trial on Wednesday, Fungo’s cross-examination continued.

    When Agi asked the forensic analyst if he knew what Ndifon and TKJ, the female Diploma student alleged to have been sexually harassed, discussed in the call log, he said he did not know.

    When the lawyer asked the witness if he knew the first communication between Ndifon and TKJ, Fungo said from the analysis he carried out on the mobile phones, their first communication through the WhatsApp channel was on March 14, 2023 and the message was: “Good evening sir.”

    The witness, who also said that he did not analyse TKJ’s phone in the course of the investigation, said he was not given TKJ’s phone by the ICPC to analyse.

    After Fungo’s testimony, Akponimisingha told the court that the prosecution was closing its case.

    “This is the case for the prosecution and we have closed our case today,” he said.

    Responding, counsel to the defendants’, Agi, told the court that  they planned to file a no-case submission.

    He said he would need seven days to file the application.

    The ICPC lawyer assured the court that immediately the defence served him with the no-case submission, he would also need about seven days to reply.

    Justice Omotosho consequently adjourned the matter until Feb. 27 to hear the defendants’ no-case submission.

    Meanwhile, Ndifon and Anyanwu were yet to perfect their bail described as being too stringent.

    Justice Omotosho had, on Feb. 9, admitted Ndifon to a N250 million bail with two sureties.

    The judge held that the two sureties, who must be owners of landed property in the FCT with registered titles and minimum valuation of N150 million, must submit their certified bank statements to the registrar of the court.

    He also directed Ndifon to submit his international passport to the court registrar.

    The judge ordered the suspended dean to sign an undertaking not to interfere with the case, be ready to stand his trial and not to delay the trial.

    Also ruling on Anyanwu’s bail plea, Justice Omotosho, who granted him a N50 million bail with two sureties, held that one of the sureties must have a property in FCT, but not with a registered title.

    The judge directed the sureties to file their bank statements and ordered Anyanwu to equally signed an undertaking not to interfere with the trial, to be ready to stand his trial and not delay the trial.

    Justice Omotosho also ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter.

  • How UNICAL Prof pressurised me to trade my virginity – Witness

    How UNICAL Prof pressurised me to trade my virginity – Witness

    An Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)’s star witness [names withheld], on Tuesday, stated that Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), pressurised her to trade her virginity in exchange for an admission into the institution.

    TKJ [not real name of star witness], who is the ICPC’s 2nd prosecution witness (PW2), told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Abuja while being led in evidence by the commission’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.

    She narrated that she came in contact with Ndifon during her Diploma 1 Programme through some seniir students who were posting condolence messages to the lecturer over the death of his mother.

    “So, being a student of the Faculty of Law, I decided to send my condolence messages to him. After that, he thanked me and asked what level I was and I told him I was in Diploma 1.

    “After some days, I made a post on my WhatsApp status and he asked, ‘Is this you?’ and I replied yes sir

    “He asked where I was and I told him I wasn’t in Calabar. He told me that whenever I returned, I should try and see him and I said ok,” she said.

    The PW2 said on returning to school, Ndifon called her to inquire if she was back and she answered in affirmative.

    “He asked me to see him in his office. After my lectures that day, I went to his office. When I got there, he had many visitors waiting for him. He asked that I wait for him.

    “After some hours, he dismissed his visitors and asked me to lock the door. I did as he instructed. He stood up from his seat and asked me to hug him.

    “I moved back and he asked if I was scared. I nodded my head. He said I should not be scared and that I should see him as a father. He requested for the hug again. I gave him a side hug.

    “He asked me if this was how I hug my boyfriend, I told him I don’t have a boyfriend. He asked if It was a man friend I have, and I told him I had none.

    “He held my waist and told me I don’t have to bother about admission and that he brought Diploma of Law into the faculty.

    “He said he made about 50 students transited to the LLB programme” she said.

    The witness told the court that the embattled professor again held her waist and she tried to free herself from him.

    “He told me to stop doing that and asked why was I doing like a baby. He asked if I was a virgin, and I said yes. He said am I sure? He said that it was very good.

    “He asked, ‘Can you give it (my virginity) to me? I shouted Jesus! He said I should give it to him and he told me he would give me admission. I told him I would think about it,” she said.

    According to the witness, he (Ndifon) touched my chest which is my breast area.

    “He said he never knew I was this big. While all these were going on, people would come and knock and go.

    “I asked him why does he not want to open the door, he asked me to forget it.

    “When I asked him why he was the one that gave up to 50 persons admission, he told me he was the owner of the diploma course that I should not bother myself that I will get the admission,” she added.

    TKJ, who told the court that the don also asked her to visit him on a public holiday, begged her to give him “a blow job” after confirming he was on her menstrual cycle.

    She said: “On a public holiday, he asked me to come to his office,

    “He pulled his trousers. I told him to stop and that I was on my period (menstruation). He asked won’t I give him my virginity again?

    “I said I was on my period. He put his hand inside my pad. He asked when my period would finish and asked me to sit down.

    “He brought out his manhood and asked that I give him a blow job. I told him I can’t. He said I shouldn’t embarrass him.

    “He put his manhood back inside his trousers and told me to leave his office. When I was about leaving, I begged him that I was sorry.

    “That day, I was not on my period; I just had to wear the pad because of the advances he had been making at me.

    “I went back to WhatsApp to apologise and told him I was sorry. He was my only hope for the admission, something I had looked for for years.”

    TKJ said after the incident, the suspended dean began pressurising her for nude videos.

    “He asked I make a nude video and send it to him. Before I could say anything, he ended the call.

    “Later, he called again and demanded the video. I told him that I was still a virgin and he ended the call.

    “I sent him a message on WhatsApp that I’m still very tight.

    “He told me he would give me admission that I should not worry I should send the video. After so many calls, I had to send the video to him,” she said.

    The witness said despite the sexual harassment protests on campus, the suspended dean requested more nude photographs from her.

    “He kept requesting for more. I stopped replying him for some time. He called me and asked I send another from my chin downwards.

    “The pressure from him was much. I agreed. I sent a view once he said it was deleted. This particular one from Chin was after the sexual harassment protest in UNICAL.”

    TKJ also told the court that while the University panel probe was ongoing, he came to the front of her hostel in a tinted glass car.

    She said she joined him in the car and was having a discussion when Ndifon tried to put his hand inside her trousers.

    The PW2 said that after stopping him from doing that, he brought out his manhood and forcefully put it in her mouth.

    Her words: “He tried to put his hand inside my trousers, and I removed it.

    “He said what is it again. He brought out his manhood inside the car. He said I should suck and make him happy inside the car.

    “I told him again I was in my period, and he said is it every day I was seeing my period?

    “He bent my head to suck in front of my hostel. I begged him I wasn’t feeling fine but he didn’t listen.

    “I told him I was fasting but he refused. He pushed my neck to suck it. I begged and begged but he forced it till he entered my mouth.

    “He told me sorry that I should clear my tears before leaving his car. “

    She said Ndifon later transferred N3000 into her account to treat herself after requesting for the account details

    After given her evidence, the prosecution counsel sought to tendered the N3000 bank receipt sent to the witness as evidence and it was admitted as exhibit after Ndifon’s lawyer, Joe Agi, SAN, withdrew his objection.

    Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until Feb. 7 for continuation.

    Ndifon was, on Jan. 25, re-arraigned alongside Sunny Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

    Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on Jan. 22 by the ICPC on allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threatened her.

  • ICPC’s war against corruption key to good governance, development – Chairman

    ICPC’s war against corruption key to good governance, development – Chairman

    Dr Musa Aliyu, the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), says the agency’s war against corruption is key to good governance, growth and development of the country.

    Aliyu said this on Thursday at a strategic meeting with delegates from the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) in Abuja.

    The ICPC boss restated the commission’s commitment to detect and tackle corruption that has negative impact Nigeria’s image for so long.

    According to him, the impact of corruption is manifested in underdevelopment and poverty which makes the prospect of investment unappealing.

    He said that the responsibility for projecting the country in a positive light must be a collective effort.

    The ICPC boss recalled that his predecessors had left a legacy of strategic partnerships with organisations which he intended to build upon.

    He said that there was a viable track record of ICPC and NEPAD working together on various projects including election monitoring.

    He added that future collaborations must be geared towards projecting a positive image of Nigeria to encourage internal and foreign investment while fostering development.

    According to him, eradicating corruption in Nigeria will be infectious to neighbouring countries and the continent as a whole.

    The chairman said this in turn would significantly boost development through improved socio-economic values and infrastructure.

    Also speaking, the Secretary to the Commission, Mr Clifford Oparaodu, suggested that policies developed from joint initiatives between the Commission and stakeholders would be invaluable to development as a result of increased efficiency.

    In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Princess Gloria Akobundu who led the visiting delegation, said NEPAD hoped to ensure Nigeria is respected continentally and globally.

    This, she said, could be achieved by advocating for improved governance and economic growth.

    Akobundu asserted that the APRM initiative was meant to encourage African countries to foster healthy relationships based on self-assessment and improvement.

     

  • ICPC, CCB partner against public sector corruption

    ICPC, CCB partner against public sector corruption

    Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has initiated a collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    The initiative was aimed at strengthening ties and aligning efforts to rid the country of corruption in the public sector.

    The ICPC spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua said this in a statement on Friday, in Abuja.

    Ogugua said the collaboration was agreed on  when the ICPC Chairman, in company of the commission’s management team,  paid a courtesy visit to the Acting Chairman of CCB, Mr Aliyu  Kankia in Abuja.

    The ICPC boss, however,  said  the visit was borne out of the desire of the commission under his leadership, to work with relevant stakeholders to achieve giant strides in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda of fighting corruption.

    Aliyu stressed that President Bola Tinubu has an honest commitment to the fight against corruption and that this could be achieved through collaboration and partnership with the CCB.

    This, he  described as the most powerful and important anti-corruption agency in Nigeria recognised and mentioned in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “The collaboration is in furtherance to consolidating and improving on an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies.

    “There are many things that both agencies can do together to move this country forward.

    “I know that there is an existing MoU between us, and we want to improve on it and harness resources within our reach to work efficiently for the common good and benefit of our nation.

    ”Whenever you need anything from us, please do not hesitate to reach out to us while we will also do so from our end,” he said.

    In his remarks, the acting chairman of CCB, stated that the visit was a step in the right direction as the fight against the menace of corruption required cooperation and understanding as displayed by the ICPC chairman and his team.

    “The visit signifies friendship, understanding and cooperation to come together for  a common goal in the fight against corruption.

    “CCB is the creation of the constitution that speaks on giving and taking, conflict of Interest, asset declaration and assets verification,” Kankia said.

    He expressed  readiness of the bureau to continue to forward relevant cases to ICPC as it had always done based on findings in carrying out their assignment on assets evaluation and assessments of public servants.

    “You can rely on us. We have the tools that will help your work as we have always done, we will share relevant information with you to help your work.

    “CCB also categorises offences and forwards to appropriate anti-corruption agencies,” he said.

    Kankia called on ICPC to work with the bureau in the aspects of trainings especially on investigation as that would equally help them in their work.

  • Nobody is too big to be investigated in Nigeria – EFCC boasts

    Nobody is too big to be investigated in Nigeria – EFCC boasts

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said nobody is too big to be investigated in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede said this on Tuesday at the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.

    Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu had paid him a courtesy visit.

    Speaking during the visit, Olukoyede noted that President Bola Tinubu is providing the right atmosphere to fight corruption in the country.

    The EFCC boss assured that there will be no hiding place for the corrupt in Nigeria, given the political will of President Tinubu to frontally tackle economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

    According to Olukoyede, Tinubu is offering the right atmosphere for anti-graft activities both for the EFCC and the ICPC, adding that no Nigerian is immune to investigations for any corruption allegation. “We believe that with the kind of President we have, who is ready and willing to do the right thing and from what we have seen in recent times and in the last 48 hours, it is clear that he has provided the political will and leadership and created the atmosphere for us to work. So there is no hiding place for the corrupt.

    “We must give our best, we must be committed and give the President the right support he needs. Nobody is too big to be investigated in this country. Once you are not playing according to the rules, we will investigate you” Olukoyede said.

    He further noted that the engagement with the ICPC was sending the right signals to the entire country that the anti-corruption agencies are coming together and extending hands of comradeship and fellowship to each other with a mind to work together.

    He recalled that there was a subsisting Memorandum of Understanding, MoU between both agencies.

    “Today, the MoU is in place. It is going to be a living document that we can review from time to time to accommodate mutual interest,” he said.

    Olukoyede pointed out that the enormity of cases both agencies are handling justified their independent existence.

    “Even with five anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria, we hardly can do more than scratch the surface. One anti-corruption agency in the US has a staff strength of about thirty-five thousand.

    “I am not sure the staff strength of the EFCC and the ICPC put together will be up to seven thousand.

    “Though people have been talking of duplication of responsibilities between the EFCC and ICPC, I don’t see it from that perspective. I see it from the perspective of the enormity of the work on our hands.

    “When you are limited by staff strength and resources and  there is still so much to be done, it becomes important to work together and see if we can move the country forward,” he said.

    To reinforce his commitment to collaboration, the EFCC boss recalled that he reminded the Senate during his confirmation session about the overarching need for collaboration among the EFCC, ICPC, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and  Code of Conduct Tribunal “because we all have roles to play, especially as the major cankerworm hindering our economic and national development is corruption.”

    In his remarks, the ICPC boss stressed the need for understanding and synergy between his Commission and the EFCC. “It is very important for us to work together. And we cannot work together without having a good relationship, that’s why I decided to extend hands of friendship to the EFCC so that we can see how we can work closely in helping this country to fight corruption. I am aware that there is an MoU between the ICPC and the EFCC.

    Continuing, he maintained that “ ICPC is very much ready to collaborate and partner with the EFCC. We thank God that there is a good working relationship and I hope that we are going to sustain this relationship. I also hope we will be meeting on a regular basis to review what we are doing together to see how we can strengthen our relationship. May God help us in the discharge of these onerous tasks”.

    The meeting was attended by top management staff of both Commission.

  • Benin, Togo Degrees: ICPC boss, set to meet undercover reporter who revealed alleged corrupt practices

    Benin, Togo Degrees: ICPC boss, set to meet undercover reporter who revealed alleged corrupt practices

    Musa Adamu Aliyu, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has called for a critical meeting at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja with the reporter who exposed the alleged degree certificate fraud in some neighbouring countries.

    The ICPC director of press, Azuka Ogugua, put out a statement saying that the invitation was to discuss the story published on December 30 by the reporter on the alleged corrupt practices at a Cotonou university.

    The statement said that meeting with the reporter was aimed at deepening the investigation and initiating relevant actions against parties involved in the certificate scandal.

    Recall that the investigation into Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et de Technologies, ESGT, in Cotonou revealed a concerning situation where degrees are allegedly awarded in as little as six weeks, bypassing standard academic procedures like application, registration, coursework, and examinations.

    In response to these critical allegations, the ICPC said it is embarking on a thorough investigation.

    According to the Commission, “the probe will rigorously examine the networks and individuals engaged in these malpractices, with the objective of restoring and preserving the integrity of our educational system.”

    The Commission said it will engage in a synergistic collaboration with relevant domestic and international bodies to jointly evaluate the legitimacy of academic qualifications procured from overseas institutions, especially those highlighted in the investigative report.

    The ICPC then called on all stakeholders in the educational and governmental sectors to join hands in this critical endeavor.

    “Together, we can work towards a future where the credibility of our educational qualifications is unimpeachable, and where corruption finds no refuge,” the Commission said.

  • 42% corruption in high places worrisome – ICPC

    42% corruption in high places worrisome – ICPC

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related offence Commission (ICPC) says there is a high level of corruption in all spheres of sectors especially in the three arms of government and the private sector in the last two years.

    The Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Prof, Tunde Babawale, said this at the validation meeting of the Nigeria Corruption Index (NCI) Survey in Abuja

    Babawale said that findings put corruption level within the Legislature, Judiciary, and Executive arms of government and private sector at 42 per cent between 2022 and 2023

    ”All the sectors have been found culpable and found to be highly corrupt, the legislature the judiciary, the executive all of them have been found to be corrupt

    ”Although at the level of the state the score differs from one state to the other but the bottom line is that there is an overall score that we found is that over 42 per cent in our own scale is highly corrupt for the entire country.”

    According to him, it is observed that corruption has become so pervasive that we need to embark on a change of attitude, change of mindset and change of behavior.

    “Meaning that people must begin to develop a high intolerance level for corruption as we are now, there is a high level of tolerance for corruption in the country.

    “And, they don’t see it as a very scandalous and shocking development as it used to be in the past. We should begin to train the youth and even the old on how to develop this anti-corruption antigen,” he said.

    He explained that the validation meeting was for a national survey that was carried out in 2022 which was  called the Nigerian Corruption Index (NCI).

    According to him,  the NCI is to survey the extent of grand corruption in Nigeria, to look at the various sectors that are mostly affected by corruption as well as overall Nigerian thought in corruption.

    He said the NCI focused on corruption in high places, especially the three arms of government as well as the private sector.

    He noted that there had  been other surveys on corruption by the National Bureau of Statistics, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime which were largely based on perception devoted to identifying the problem relating to petty corruption.

    “The difference in what we are doing is that we are surveying the impact of the effect of grand corruption and we are also looking at it from the perspective of different sectors of society, the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, as well as the sub national government.

    “So, the thinking that it is better for us to talk about grand corruption because of the greatest impact on living conditions of Nigerians when policemen collect bribes on the roadside that has effects but not as much as somebody stealing the N109 billion.

    ”So, we want to weigh the impact of such on society, how it differs from one sector to the other. And the ultimate objective is also to ensure that we are able to advise the government on policies that should be put in place in order to develop anti-corruption initiatives and interventions.”

    He expressed concerns on the findings of the NCI which discovered that people had trivialized corruption, and that the private sector fuelled corrupt practices in the public sector.

    “One of the things we found out is that people have built the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility fraudulently,  they have used it to disguise corruption to also disguise the perpetration of corruption between the private and public sector.

    “What I mean by that is that private companies sometimes bring out the concept of corporate social responsibility as real corporate social responsibility, when what it is, is actually perpetuating corruption by giving officials bribes and even equipment.

    “ Some get cars bought for them and all of it we found out in the course of our survey. So, the government has to take a look at that. And purge it of all those impunity.”

    He said there was the need for the government to purge legislate oversight which was sometimes used as a veritable tool and channel of corruption.

    “There is need for the government to purge the legislate oversight of a tendency by some people to also use it to take money from both the private and public sector.

    “Some in the survey claimed that they sponsored trips for legislative oversight, which should not be, because the government made provision for that, that has to be addressed.

    “And lastly, the overall thing that was observed is that corruption has become so pervasive that we need to embark on a change of attitude, change of mindset and change of behavior,” he said.

    Prof.  Elijah Okebukola,  Lead researcher on the project Nigeria Corruption Index (NCI) noted that what the index did was that it measured corruption at different levels.

    He said that their findings revealed that there was a high level of corruption at virtually every sphere of sectors in the country, especially within the three arms of government

    “We have found that there is a high level of corruption at virtually every sphere of sectors in the country, in every level of government in all the spheres what index does is that it measures corruption at different levels,” he said.

    The Secretary of the commission, Mr Clifford Oparaodu, represented by the Director of Legal, Mr Henry Emorie, said that NCI was a tool aimed at helping the commission to better understand the fight grand corruption in the country

    Oparaodu noted that everybody was experiencing the pervasive impact of corruption, which described corruption as a cankerworm that had insidiously woven its way into the fabric of the society, causing immeasurable damage to the nation.

    While noting that the meeting would help shed light on the area of concern as highlighted in the NCI data, he,  therefore,  called for collective efforts in the fight against corruption with the government sector as well as the private sector.