ICPC Chairman Reveals 60% of Corruption Cases Involve Public Resource Diversion

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu (SAN), has reported that over 60% of the corruption cases investigated by the commission involve the diversion of public resources intended for essential projects like healthcare and infrastructure.

Aliyu made this announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday, where he formally introduced the ICPC’s Accountability and Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Governments (ACPP-LG). This initiative aims to combat corruption, financial mismanagement, and governance deficiencies across Nigeria’s 774 local councils.

“Local governments play a vital role in delivering public services. However, many struggle due to weak transparency mechanisms and the misappropriation of funds,” Aliyu stated, emphasizing the urgency of the initiative. He also highlighted a significant Supreme Court judgment from July 11, 2024, which affirmed financial autonomy for local governments.

Aliyu assured attendees that the ICPC is committed to enforcing compliance with anti-corruption laws to foster transparency, accountability, and efficiency within local government administration.

Key Program Objectives

Aliyu outlined the primary objectives of the ACPP-LG, which include:

• Ensuring transparency in local government operations.
• Facilitating proactive disclosure of financial and administrative activities.
• Enhancing citizen engagement in governance.
• Providing training for local officials on ethical governance.
• Leveraging technology to promote transparency.
• Encouraging collaboration between local governments and development partners.
• Establishing monitoring mechanisms to assess governance performance.
• Promoting inclusive participation in decision-making processes.

In achieving these goals, the ICPC plans to employ its investigative, prosecutorial, and regulatory functions. This includes legislative enforcement, periodic audits, and oversight mechanisms designed to detect and address non-compliance.

Call for Support from State Governments

Aliyu urged state governments to support local councils to ensure the smooth implementation of these reforms and avoid administrative bottlenecks. He reaffirmed the ICPC’s commitment to prosecuting cases involving fund diversion, assuring the public that offenders will face the full weight of the law to ensure public resources are utilized appropriately.

“Beyond these preventive measures, ICPC will not hesitate to prosecute cases of fund diversion, ensuring that offenders face the full weight of the law. The ACPP-LG is not just about governance reform—it is about justice, deterrence, and ensuring that public resources serve the people as intended,” he stated.

Aliyu concluded by stressing the importance of combating corruption at the grassroots level, framing it as a crucial fight for Nigeria’s future: “Let us work together to ensure that every kobo meant for development is used for the people.”