In a vibrant prelude to the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day, the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), hosted a knockout-style schools debate competition in Abuja on Tuesday. The event underscored a strategic push to embed values of integrity and ethical reasoning among Nigerian youth.
The competition featured seven secondary schools, all drawn into competitive pairings: Doveland International College, Lokogoma; Federal Science Technical College (FSTC), Orozo; Federal Boys College, Apo; Model Secondary School, Maitama; Government Secondary School, Dutse; Footprint School, Gwarinpa; and Blooming Heritage School, Lokogoma.
A distinguished panel of judges, comprising representatives from IATT member-agencies including the ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Public Complaints Commission (PCC), and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), presided over the proceedings, ensuring a fair and insightful evaluation.
The debates were strategically designed to foster critical thinking on pressing national issues. The first round challenged students on the motion: “Preventive Approach is a Better Mechanism of Fighting Corruption than Enforcement Approach.” This topic directly aligns with the ICPC’s core mandate, which emphasizes preventing corruption through system study and review, alongside its enforcement duties.
The initial match-ups were:
- Doveland International College, Lokogoma (For) vs. Federal Science Technical College, Orozo (Against)
- Federal Boys College, Apo (For) vs. All Saints Anglican School, Wuse (Against). Federal Boys College advanced automatically due to their opponent’s absence.
- Footprint School, Gwarinpa (For) vs. Model Secondary School, Maitama (Against)
- Government Secondary School, Dutse (For) vs. Blooming Heritage School, Lokogoma (Against)
Advancing schools then faced off in a second round, debating the contemporary topic: “Cybercrimes Have More Devastating Effects on the Economy than Public Sector Corruption.” This motion prompted students to analyze and compare complex economic threats, further deepening the integrity-focused discourse.
After rigorous intellectual contests, Model Secondary School, Maitama, and Government Secondary School, Dutse, emerged as finalists. The two schools are now set to compete in the grand finale during the official commemoration of International Anti-Corruption Day in December 2025.
This initiative is a cornerstone of the IATT’s broader commitment, actively championed by the ICPC, to cultivate a culture of anti-corruption from the grassroots level. By engaging students in structured discourse on integrity, the programme aims to empower the next generation of leaders with the ethical foundation and critical skills necessary to champion good governance and reject corruption in all its forms.