ABUJA, NIGERIA – Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has met with State Attorneys-General from the South-East region, aiming to strengthen collaboration in the national fight against corruption. This engagement, held on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, is part of a series of zonal meetings intended to foster synergy between federal and state legal authorities.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu emphasized the strategic importance of collaborative and preventive approaches to curbing corruption. He noted that similar sessions have already taken place in the South-South and North-Central zones, with further regional engagements planned ahead of the Commission’s second national anti-corruption summit later this year. Mr. Aliyu stated the current engagement is “designed to deepen collaboration, enhance intelligence sharing, and align our strategies with both regional peculiarities and national priorities.”
The ICPC Chairman began the meeting by paying tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was buried yesterday, describing him as a “moral compass” whose anti-corruption legacy left a lasting imprint.
A key focus of the discussion was the persistent issue of jurisdictional conflicts between federal and state anti-corruption responsibilities. Mr. Aliyu cited Supreme Court judgments affirming the ICPC’s constitutional powers to investigate and prosecute corruption cases, regardless of whether federal or state actors are involved. He urged State Attorneys-General, as chief law officers, to uphold these decisions and avoid “institutional resistance” in the unified fight against corruption.
Both the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Emmanuel Udende, and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Kayode Moshood Akiolu, pledged legislative support for anti-corruption efforts. Ibrahim Mukhtar, former Attorney-General of Kano State, highlighted corruption as the root cause of Nigeria’s developmental challenges and advocated for the creation of state-level anti-corruption forums to tackle local issues and share innovations.
The ICPC’s initiative aims to localize the fight against corruption, ensure jurisdictional cooperation, and cultivate a new culture of transparency across all levels of Nigerian government.
Add Comment