The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has charged its 246 newly recruited officers to have integrity and honesty as their watchword.
The chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, stated this while addressing the officers at their passing out parade (POP) which held at the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense (NSCDC) Training Academy after a rigorous six-week course.
Owasanoye stated that the recruitment of the 246 staff, comprising senior and junior cadres, out of over 400,000 applicants, would enable the commission to tackle the problem of corruption that has been bedeviling Nigeria.
He said, “Consider yourself lucky to have been selected by the Commission out of the over 400,000 that applied for the job. Your conduct must be above board because the ICPC mandate demands it. Integrity and discipline are essential character traits you must have to excel in your career. You must make integrity and honesty your watchword.”
The chairman also informed them that as the country was battling with the menace of corruption posed by illicit financial flows, internet fraud, and grand corruption among others, they were expected to shun all acts of corruption, warning that defiant staff would be shown the way out of the Commission.
His words, “You have the herculean task of ridding Nigeria of the menace of corruption. This board and management have zero tolerance for corruption, indiscipline, and other forms of official malfeasance. You must strive to always live above board. Any act of disloyalty to the Commission will not be tolerated and the person will be shown the way out.”
On his part, the commandant-general of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Audi, said the new staff had been rigorously trained and equipped to function as anti-corruption officers.
For his part, the camp commandant, Wellington Nkemadu, gave the assurance that the new staff would perform any task assigned to them having undergone six-week rigorous military and technical training.
He added that the senior cadre would be moved immediately to the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, (ACAN), the training arm of ICPC for another six-week training focusing on technical and core mandates of the Commission, while the junior cadre will remain in Sauka for another two weeks.
