Anti-Graft Commission Wants Integrity, Accountability In Local Governance

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, says corruption in Nigeria goes beyond the act of stealing public funds.
He described it as “any deviation from the rule or due process.”

Aliyu made the assertion in Abuja in a paper titled, “Understanding Anti-Corruption Laws and Their Implications for Local Government Officials” at the 2025 National Summit of the Association of Chairmen of Local Government Service Commissions in Nigeria.

The summit, themed “Strengthening Local Government Administration in Nigeria,” was organised for stakeholders across Nigeria to discuss reforms to enhance governance and accountability at the grassroots level.

Represented by his special assistant on Legal Matters, Zainab Nass, the ICPC chairman stated that corruption is not confined to the public sector but exists in every stratum of society, including schools, markets and private institutions.

The ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, said that while reflecting on Nigeria’s battle with corruption since independence, Dr Aliyu recalled several past government initiatives, such as the Ethical Revolution, War Against Indiscipline and Corruption (WAIC), and Mass Mobilisation for Self-Reliance, Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER).

The ICPC boss said these campaigns failed to yield sustainable results due to a lack of legal backing and institutional continuity.

According to him, the decisive turning point came with establishing the ICPC under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, which for the first time provided a comprehensive legal framework to investigate, prevent, and prosecute corruption.

Aliyu explained that the ICPC’s mandate is anchored on three key pillars of enforcement, prevention and public education. The commission has been instrumental in promoting transparency and integrity across public institutions through initiatives such as Corruption Risk Assessments, Systems Studies and Reviews, and the establishment of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).