ICPC Pledges Transparency On Recovered Assets

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has assured Nigerians that all recovered assets would be periodically published, with their status and owners made public.

The director, special services in the ICPC, Hassan Mohammed, disclosed yesterday that the commission was committed to periodically publishing recovered assets, stressing that nothing was hidden.

He spoke yesterday at a media briefing ahead of the General Assembly of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum (AARPF), holding under the auspices of the African Union.

Mohammed, who doubles as the chairman, Local Organising Committee of the forthcoming programme said, “Anything recovered is for the public and so ICPC will definitely declare anything and whatever has been recovered. It’s a public document.”

He dismissed suggestions that practitioners are scared of developments in the sector, explaining that asset recovery had become an integral part of the fight against corruption all over the world.

According to him, it is not just about recovering assets, but ensuring that what was recovered is put to use for the benefit of the generality of the masses.

“It is an aspect of the fight against corruption which the African Union is advancing,” Mohammed noted.

Speaking on the upcoming event, Mohammed said the purpose of the programme is to harmonise the fight against corruption, especially now that asset recovery has become an integral part of what anti-corruption agencies do all over the world.

“The purpose of the programme, like I said, is to harmonize, synergise, emphasise, come up with strategies, common ways to deal with this menace. Essentially, that’s what we are doing,” he said.

He disclosed that literally all African countries, about 54 countries will be attending the assembly.

He added that delegates will be taken to some places to see what Nigeria is doing with some recovered assets in the country.

On whether any other African country is leading Nigeria in asset recovery, he said some countries recover their assets without public knowledge, making comparison difficult.

“Some of these countries recover their assets and you don’t know what they have recovered. We don’t know whether they are doing their recoveries or not. But however, when we meet like this we have the opportunity to discuss in forums like this what has been recovered,” he explained.