The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu stated that government paid for a hospital project five times in full, yet the hospital was never constructed.
Dr. Aliyu revealed this at the Northern media executives and Bureau Chiefs in Abuja on Wednesday, February 5.
He stated that the case mentioned was just one of many examples of the widespread corruption in the country, emphasising that it must not be allowed to persist.
Dr. Aliyu called on the media and concerned citizens to join the fight against this issue.
He said, “There was a case of a hospital which was paid for 100 percent, five times.
“Yet, there was nothing to show for it. That tells you how bad the problem of corruption has become. We cannot continue like this.
“All of us should join hands to tackle corruption in this country.
“Fighting corruption is not easy because when you fight corruption, corruption fights back.
“Those involved in corruption are united in their evil. They try to lie against us in order to discredit what we are doing.
“But as a nation, all well-meaning members of the public must join hands to tackle corruption
“We don’t have an option. If we don’t tackle corruption, our children will have no future.
“If we don’t fight corruption, those involved will wreck the economy, and we will all suffer for it.”
Dr. Aliyu provided another example of corruption within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), where a government official included his wife, son, and an in-law on the payroll.
He noted that the son was simply a student and far from being of working age.
The ICPC Chairman also mentioned that last year, officials from another agency attempted to embezzle N20 billion, but their efforts were blocked, highlighting the commission’s proactive approach to preventing fraud within the MDAs.
Dr. Aliyu revealed that significant assets stolen from Nigeria and other African nations are being held abroad.
He explained that his team is working alongside other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria and across Africa to track and recover these assets.
While the ICPC Chairman could not provide an exact figure for the stolen property and cash, he noted that a forum of African anti-corruption agencies has been established to enhance efforts to identify and repatriate these assets.
He criticised countries in the Global North, where these assets are stored, for enabling corrupt Africans to loot the continent by offering a safe haven for the proceeds of corruption.
Dr. Aliyu also condemned the actions of nationals from Global Northern countries who, when Nigeria’s and other African nations’ assets are traced, create various barriers to their repatriation.
Even when authorities in these countries agree to release the assets, their nationals often propose themselves as consultants who must receive hefty commissions for the repatriation to take place.
Dr. Aliyu revealed that the African Anti-Graft Forum has begun efforts to encourage African experts to collaborate and form consortiums aimed at tracing these assets and providing the necessary support for their repatriation.
The Chairman also appealed to the Nigerian media to consider the fight against corruption as a crucial responsibility, especially given their role in promoting a just and prosperous nation.
He stressed that corruption must be addressed for Nigeria to achieve the socio-economic development its citizens aspire to.
Dr. Aliyu also shared that his team has begun thorough budgetary analysis and tracking and, in some instances, has blocked allocations where there were clear signs that public funds would be misused.
In response to a question about the disposal of assets recovered from corrupt officials, Dr. Aliyu explained that the ICPC adheres to the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The commission has set up a committee comprising key stakeholders, including Civil Society Organisations, the media, and government procurement experts, to ensure that public auctions of such assets are transparent and run smoothly.
The Chairman also called for a review of the nation’s laws to make corruption less appealing, pointing out that in some other African countries, individuals found guilty of corruption are not allowed to benefit from their illicit gains.
Instead, such individuals are required to repay the full amount, including interest, into public coffers and are banned from holding public office for up to 10 years.
He finally urged the Nigerian public to stop glorifying corrupt individuals, who have been revealed as the root cause of the country’s problems.
