The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), through its Katsina State Office, has officially inaugurated and inducted new members of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) recently at the Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Gusau.
The ACTU functions as an institutional watchdog, established to entrench a culture of zero tolerance for corruption and other related offences within SUBEB Zamfara represents a strategic step towards embedding accountability and ethical practice at the foundational level of education administration.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for Katsina State, Mr. Samuel S. Lodam—represented at the event by Mr. Suleman Muhammad Maishanu commended the management and staff of Zamfara SUBEB for their commitment to institutional integrity. He described the inauguration as a milestone in the collective fight against corruption.
Dr. Aliyu explained that the ACTU is recognised as a government-backed anti-corruption platform designed to build transparent and accountable systems within MDAs.
Addressing the SUBEB management, the ICPC Chairman urged them not to perceive the ACTU as an adversarial body, but rather as a strategic partner whose activities are intended to strengthen the Board. He emphasised that the Unit requires institutional support, adequate funding, and a conducive working environment to discharge its duties effectively, in accordance with the Standing Orders governing ACTU operations across MDAs.
Dr. Aliyu further outlined the Unit’s core mandate, which includes conducting System Study and Reviews to identify and recommend reforms that block corruption loopholes; organising staff sensitisation programmes; enforcing the Board’s Code of Ethics; and undertaking preliminary investigations into reported complaints.
Clarifying the Unit’s status, the ICPC Chairman stressed that the ACTU is not established as a parallel authority to management, but as a collaborative mechanism aimed at enhancing the Board’s reputation and operational integrity.
To the newly inaugurated members, Dr. Aliyu issued a charge: they must demonstrate diligence, impartiality, and teamwork. He cautioned against using their positions to victimise or witch-hunt colleagues, urging them instead to foster a culture of discipline, accountability, and mutual respect within the institution.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Zamfara SUBEB, Professor Nasiru Garba Anka, applauded the ICPC’s sustained anti-corruption initiatives, particularly under the leadership of Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN. He described the President’s vision of a corruption-free Nigeria as both noble and attainable, and reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to supporting the newly inaugurated Unit.
The induction ceremony formally commenced with the administration of the oath of allegiance by Barr. Hedima Haruna of the ICPC Legal Unit, marking the official assumption of duty by the new ACTU members.
As part of the capacity-building component of the event, three technical papers were delivered by ICPC officials. These included:
· “Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU): A Tool for Corruption Prevention in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)”;
· “Fundamentals of System Study and Review”; and
· “Preliminary Investigation Procedure.”
In his acceptance speech, the newly appointed ACTU Chairman, Samaila Musa Anka, expressed profound gratitude to the management and staff of Zamfara SUBEB, as well as the ICPC, for their unwavering support in bringing the Unit to fruition. He underscored the importance of public enlightenment in the fight against corruption and reaffirmed the Unit’s dedication to advancing transparency, accountability, and national development.