Kano Times

October 7, 2025

ICPC Chairman Calls for Regional Cooperation Against Corruption

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged Attorneys-General in the North-East to strengthen institutional integrity and enhance regional cooperation in the fight against corruption.

ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, made the call during a roundtable with State Attorneys-General in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The meeting, held under the theme, “Institutional Integrity and Regional Cooperation: The Role of Attorneys-General in Advancing a Corruption-Free North-East,” is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to coordinate with key justice sector officials.

Dr. Aliyu said corruption remained a serious threat to national development and called for collective action.

“Punishment alone is not enough. We must combine approaches: recover stolen assets, restore justice to victims, strengthen our systems, and above all, work together across institutions and across regions,” he said, adding that corruption fuels insecurity, weakens economies, and erodes public trust.

The initiative began with a session in Abuja on September 3, 2024, and has since been held in Kano, Asaba, Ilorin, and Enugu before arriving in Maiduguri. Dr. Aliyu commended the support of the National Assembly Committees on Anti-Corruption and acknowledged the presence of prominent jurists, including the Chief Judge of Borno State, Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah, and Professor Auwalu Hamisu Yadudu, describing them as “towering figures of law and justice.”

In his keynote address, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, SAN, emphasized the need for closer collaboration between State Attorneys-General and the ICPC. He warned that every naira lost to corruption was a setback amid the region’s insurgency, humanitarian crises, and slow economic recovery.

Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah, represented by Hon. Justice Aisha Kumalia, noted that cooperation between the Commission and Attorneys-General was “vital for effective prosecution of corruption cases and national development,” citing fewer fraud complaints and successful prosecutions as signs of progress.

A communiqué at the end of the meeting confirmed plans to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), strengthen preventive mechanisms such as procurement monitoring, and establish a joint intelligence-sharing and case management system. It also emphasized training for prosecutors and investigators in data-driven risk management, cybersecurity, and forensic technology, as well as raising public awareness through civil society, community leaders, and the media.

“The resolve reached is a clear indication that North-East States are ready to lead in ensuring accountability at both State and Local Government levels and sustain collaboration between Federal and State institutions to advance integrity and accountability across the country,” said Demola Bakare, fsi, Director, Public Enlightenment and Education, and Spokesperson for the Commission.

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