UNODC Applauds ICPC’s Strides in Asset Recovery, Anti-Graft War
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UNODC Applauds ICPC’s Strides in Asset Recovery, Anti-Graft War
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for what it described as strong and consistent leadership in Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive.
The UNODC Country Representative, Cheikh Toure, gave the commendation on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Toure said the ICPC’s efforts in asset recovery stand out globally, noting that no country has matched Nigeria’s recent pace in reclaiming stolen public funds.
He attributed the progress to the Commission’s commitment and its credible representation of the country at international anti-corruption forums.
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“ICPC is a good custodian of the provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, and your work in securing high-profile convictions demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to the anti-corruption war,” he said.
He also praised the Commission’s preventive initiatives, including the Anti-Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Government, which he said has made significant impact at the grassroots.
According to him, youths, who constitute more than 70 per cent of the population, must remain central to anti-corruption intervention programmes.
Toure said UNODC was ready to strengthen its partnership with ICPC, revealing that its current five-year plan contains over 400 action points that the Commission could key into.
He also extended an invitation to ICPC to participate in the next stakeholders’ meeting on Illicit Financial Flows to be hosted by the Embassy of Finland.
He called for a deeper collaboration in intelligence gathering, wildlife crime investigations, sub-national anti-corruption reforms, institutional development and the creation of a digital knowledge repository to enhance organisational efficiency.
Responding, the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, described the UNODC as a dependable ally in the country’s anti-graft efforts.
He reiterated the Commission’s readiness to work closely with the UN body, especially in promoting local government autonomy as a tool for reducing corruption at the grassroots.
Aliyu disclosed that the Commission had recovered substantial sums for the country in tax and pension-related matters, while blocking several corruption loopholes in public institutions.
He noted that the ICPC places strong emphasis on youth and women-focused interventions, citing several initiatives, including a major programme held last year in partnership with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The Chairman also stressed the need to continually deploy technology in combating corruption, revealing that the Commission recently launched an AI-powered chatbot on its website.
He welcomed further support from UNODC in expanding the Commission’s technological capabilities.
“The Commission strives to maintain integrity and transparency in all its operations to sustain public confidence. Our third-place ranking in the deployment of the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard reflects this commitment,” he said.
