The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, brought together Attorneys-General of the North-Central States in a one-day Roundtable event to discuss and fashion out modalities on using legal instruments to constructively prevent corrupt practices.
Organised by the ICPC with the Commission’s Chair, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, leading the conversation, the event had in attendance Attorneys-General and prominent legal captains from the North Central Zone of the country.
Themed, “Strengthening Sub-national Synergies for Corruption Prevention: Advancing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy in Nigeria’s North Central Region,”
The event has stakeholders amplifying frameworks for support for the ICPC’s constructive preventive -driven mechanisms in tackling the menace of corruption.
Notable participants at the event include the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, Mr. Emmanuel Udende, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Prince Kayode Akiolu, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Directors of ICPC and Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioners of the ICPC from the North-Central zone.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Aliyu underscored that corruption is not limited to federal institutions but is also entrenched within state and local government systems. He emphasized that prevention remains the most strategic means of safeguarding the nation’s assets, institutions, and public trust. He also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that recovered assets—especially those located abroad—are shielded from re-looting.
Speaking at the event, the Special Guest of Honour and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr. Abdullahi Bello, noted that corruption continues to undermine governance and development. He urged Attorneys-General to champion subnational reforms in alignment with national anti-corruption objectives.
The Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon. Justice Abiodun Adebara, stressed the importance of a preventive approach, stating: “The fight against corruption should not be punitive but preventive, because it poses a threat to the rule of law.”
A keynote address was delivered by the former Attorney-General of Sokoto State, Dr. Suleiman Usman SAN, who outlined practical strategies that the ICPC and state Attorneys-General could adopt in the anti-corruption drive.
During the interactive session, Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioners and state Attorneys-General highlighted challenges encountered in their respective states, while also proposing collaborative strategies to strengthen anti-corruption efforts in partnership with the ICPC.