ICPC processes 851 petitions, recovers over N52bn in misappropriated funds

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has revealed that it handled 851 petitions in the past year, leading to significant recoveries and prosecutions.

Speaking at an event in Abuja to mark his first year in office on Tuesday, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), disclosed that 342 of the petitions were assigned for investigation, 95 were fully investigated, 72 cases were taken to court, and 16 convictions were secured.

Dr. Aliyu said the commission put in place a mechanism to improve efficiency in prosecuting cases, which has included reviving cases that have lingered for over a decade.

“The commission has streamlined its processes to ensure faster and more effective case management. This has enabled us to resuscitate cases that have been dormant for 10 to 15 years,” he said.

According to the ICPC boss, in the last year, the anti-graft commission recovered over ₦52 billion and $966,900, with ₦5.882 billion in funds prevented from being diverted in 323 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

The chairman attributed the achievements to a commitment to the rule of law, innovative strategies, and improved ICT capacity within the commission.

“The current administration’s anti-corruption agenda and my own policy thrust encapsulated in the acronym ‘CARE’ for impact, have further motivated the Commission to enhance its tools, approaches, and engagements,” he noted.

Dr. Aliyu outlined the ICPC’s successes in asset recovery, including the retrieval of ₦29.7 billion in cash currently held in the commission’s recovery accounts. He added that ₦10.98 billion in VAT was recovered and remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), while ₦10 billion earmarked for COVID-19 vaccine production was returned to the national treasury.

Additionally, the commission recovered assets worth ₦2.5 billion through court-ordered forfeitures and secured $966,900, which is now in the ICPC-CBN account.

As part of its preventive measures, the ICPC, he said, intercepted over ₦5 billion during a Systems Study and Review (SSR) of MDAs and assessed 323 agencies using its Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS).

“Through the EICS, the Commission also established 80 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in MDAs, further reinforcing its fight against corruption,” he said, adding that a report on the exercise would soon be made public.

Speaking further, Dr. Aliyu announced that the commission recently completed the tracking of 1,500 projects valued at ₦610 billion under the seventh phase of its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI).

“We are currently collating the findings from the Phase 7 fieldwork. Meanwhile, the Phase 6 report, conducted around this time last year, is ready and will be released today,” he said.

The chairman also highlighted progress in combating corruption in educational institutions and public offices, including prosecuting cases of sexual harassment and corruption.

Also speaking at the event, Chairman of National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta harped on holistic national anti-corruption strategy to effectively tackle corruption to standstill.

Nta, who is also a former chairman of ICPC, commended Dr Musa Aliyu for the massive success recorded by him and for working in collaboration with other related agencies to tackle the menace of corruption in the country.

“What I’ve seen here today is very, very commendable with all heads of anti-corruption agencies,” he said

Francis Ben Kaifala, head of Sierra Leone’s anti-corruption commission, also praised the ICPC for its efforts and noted that lessons from Nigeria have been instrumental in Sierra Leone’s anti-corruption successes.

He lamented the widespread corruption across Africa, stating that diverted funds could address critical issues like hunger and malaria on the continent.

PlatinumPost reports that the event attracted heads of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau, several agencies, civil society groups, among others.