ICPC Chairman calls for collective action against corruption, says anti-graft agencies cannot win alone

By Johnson Arua 

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the fight against corruption, stressing that anti-corruption agencies cannot single-handedly tackle the menace of systemic corruption in Nigeria. 

Dr. Aliyu made the remarks during the opening of the International Conference on Anti-Corruption, Transparency and Integrity in Governance, organized by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training arm of the ICPC, in Keffi, Nasarawa State. 

Speaking through the Director of the Special Services Department, Prince Hassan Mohammed, the ICPC Chairman said the conference, themed “Strengthening Integrity Systems for Sustainable Development and Public Trust in Nigeria,” comes at a critical time when the country requires stronger measures to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct across all sectors. 

According to him, the absence of integrity and weak compliance with ethical standards are at the root of many of the challenges confronting the nation. 

“It is an acknowledged fact that lack of integrity and failure in ethical compliance is at the centre of most of the challenges our country is facing today,” he stated. 

Dr. Aliyu emphasized that the anti-corruption campaign must involve all segments of society, including government institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, professional bodies, faith-based groups, the media, academia, and ordinary citizens. 

He noted that the conference was designed to encourage scholarly and policy discussions on anti-corruption strategies, facilitate the exchange of best practices, generate innovative solutions, strengthen stakeholder partnerships, and develop practical recommendations for improved governance. 

The ICPC Chairman added that the objectives of the conference align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and expressed optimism that sustained collaboration and innovation would help build stronger integrity systems, deepen public trust, and accelerate national development. 

In his welcome address, the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, lamented the impact of corruption on Nigeria’s socio-economic development. 

He said the conference was convened to foster intellectual engagement and generate policy recommendations aimed at addressing barriers to transparency and integrity. 

Professor Ibrahim urged participants to develop practical and actionable proposals that would help curb corruption and promote a culture of accountability and ethical governance. 

The Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, CP Usman Baba (Rtd), formally declared the conference open and commended the ICPC for its efforts in combating corruption. 

Also speaking at the event, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, said the fight against corruption must move beyond rhetoric and be backed by discipline, determination, and concrete action. 

Bawa argued that meaningful progress can only be achieved through systemic reforms and a collective commitment by all stakeholders to reject and confront corrupt practices at every level of society. 

The conference attracted participants from government agencies, development partners, academic institutions, research organizations, the private sector, the media, students, and anti-corruption advocates, who gathered to explore practical approaches to strengthening transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance.