By Ade Iyamoye
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has reaffirmed the media’s crucial role in the fight against corruption, urging journalists and media executives to be active partners rather than mere observers in exposing graft and promoting accountability.
ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), made this assertion during a breakfast meeting with editors and media executives in Lagos on Thursday, emphasizing that a free and responsible press is essential to sustaining the anti-corruption crusade.
“The media is not merely an observer; you are a frontline partner in this fight,” Aliyu declared adding that “Corruption thrives in silence, but your voices can shatter that silence. Your role in shaping public perception and holding institutions accountable cannot be overstated.”
He underscored the Commission’s commitment to transparency and public engagement, citing strategic communication approaches rooted in legal frameworks such as Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 27(4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
These laws, he noted, ensure the protection of suspects’ rights while maintaining strict diligence in the anti-graft battle.
Aliyu highlighted ICPC’s proactive measures, including the Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Governments, which seeks to improve financial disclosure, procurement oversight, and transparency at the grassroots level.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s growing influence in global anti-corruption efforts, citing the country’s election to the Steering Committee of the GlobE Network in Beijing and his recent appointment as interim Chair of the African Assets Recovery Practitioners Forum in Arusha, Tanzania.
“Recovering stolen assets outside Africa remains a major challenge due to restrictive laws in some foreign jurisdictions,” Aliyu revealed, saying “However, African nations are collaborating to establish more efficient mechanisms for retrieving illicit funds hidden abroad.”
The ICPC boss urged the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the Whistleblower Bill, stressing its importance in protecting informants and strengthening the fight against corruption.
He also expressed concern over financial institutions aiding corrupt individuals in laundering funds abroad.
“We are monitoring bank executives who facilitate illicit financial flows. While we are handling this discreetly to avoid destabilizing the financial sector, rest assured that accountability will be enforced,” Aliyu warned.
In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, called for increased scrutiny of the judiciary, arguing that corrupt legal practitioners and compromised judges often stall corruption cases through frivolous applications and questionable rulings.
Anaba commended the ICPC for engaging media stakeholders, stressing that a strong partnership between anti-corruption agencies and the press is vital in exposing and dismantling corrupt networks.
Aliyu reaffirmed ICPC’s unwavering commitment to enforcing Supreme Court rulings, tracking abandoned constituency projects, and strengthening legal frameworks to curb corruption at all levels.
“With sustained collaboration, transparency, and public vigilance, we can collectively weaken the grip of corruption on our society,” he concluded.
