Corruption Goes Beyond Bribery, Fund Diversion, Says RMAFC Chairman

The chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr Muhammed Bello Shehu, has said corruption goes beyond bribery and the diversion of public funds.

Shehu said corruption could also take the form of abuse of office, conflict of interest, favouritism, manipulation of official processes and deliberate disregard for established rules and procedures.

He spoke on Monday at the opening of a five-day sensitisation and capacity-building workshop organised by RMAFC’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) for newly recruited officers.

The workshop, organised in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is being held in Kaduna State, from September 14 to 18, 2026.

RMAFC  said programme is designed for officers at the Commission’s headquarters and state offices in the North-West geopolitical zone.

Represented by the federal commissioner representing Kwara State and Provost of ACTU, Hon. Ismail Muhammed Agaka, Shehu said the fight against corruption was the responsibility of every public officer.

He said RMAFC’s constitutional responsibilities placed it at the heart of Nigeria’s fiscal governance and required officers to demonstrate competence, diligence and an uncompromising commitment to integrity.

According to him, public trust can only be earned when public officers perform their duties honestly, transparently and responsibly in the overall interest of the public.

“Every decision we take, every public resource we handle and every official process we undertake must withstand the tests of legality, accountability, fairness and transparency,” he said.

The chairman urged the officers to ensure that integrity was reflected in their daily conduct, professional decisions and interactions with members of the public.

“As officers of the Commission, we must be above reproach. Let integrity guide our decisions, accountability define our actions, and service to the Nation remain our overriding commitment,” he said.

Shehu encouraged the participants to use the workshop to deepen their knowledge, engage actively with the resource persons and translate the lessons learnt into improved professional conduct and service delivery.

He also urged them to demonstrate humility, mutual respect and professionalism in their dealings with colleagues and members of the public.

In his remarks, the chairman of ACTU, Dr Idris Musa, said every public servant had a role to play in combating corruption.

Musa urged the participants to allow integrity and accountability to guide their decisions and actions in the interest of the nation.

He warned against conduct capable of undermining public confidence in government institutions, including abuse of office, conflict of interest, favouritism, manipulation of official processes and disregard for established rules.

He also called on the officers to uphold transparency and accountability in the handling of public resources and the discharge of their official responsibilities.

The ICPC representative, Dr Anike Adeshina, assistant director, Public Education, said the workshop was part of the Federal Government’s wider anti-corruption drive.

She said the programme was intended to introduce newly recruited officers to the principles of ethical and responsible public service.

According to her, participants would gain a deeper understanding of the need to conduct government business in line with relevant laws, regulations, procedures and ethical standards.

Adeshina urged the officers to promote and protect integrity in the workplace and reject practices that contradicted public-service ethics.

She commended the RMAFC chairman for organising the workshop.

Participants at the programme expressed optimism that the training would strengthen their ethical conduct and improve service delivery within the Commission.

An accountant at the RMAFC Zamfara State office, Aminu Sani, said the training would provide him with additional knowledge and experience to handle his responsibilities effectively.

Another participant, Aminu Ibrahim Imam, a manager in the Audit Department and a chartered accountant, said accountability, transparency and integrity were among the key values expected of participants after the workshop.

He said the principles were essential to RMAFC’s work because of its important role in the management of the nation’s revenue.