The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has urged the National Assembly to immediately pass the Whistleblower Act Bill into law to ensure the success of the fight against corruption in the country.
He made the call during the ICPC Roundtable Engagement with State Attorneys General in the North West on Strengthening ICPC’s Capacity for Corruption Prevention, held on Monday in Kano.
He stated that passing the bill was necessary to encourage those wishing to expose corrupt practices and perpetrators of such illegal acts.
“Let me use this occasion to call on the National Assembly to pass the Whistleblower Bill into law so that those wishing to expose corrupt practices will have the confidence to do so,” he said.
He further called on Nigerians to reject and resist bribery demands from public officials and, where possible, report such cases to the relevant authorities.
“No single individual or government can fight corruption alone; we need to come together to tackle this issue,” the ICPC Chairman said, adding “ICPC, as an agency responsible for fighting corruption, will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to combat the issue within the bounds of the law.”
He also called on the Attorneys-General of the North West to collaborate closely with ICPC to strengthen systems of accountability and transparency that serve the people.
“Under Section 6 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act, ICPC is empowered to investigate and prosecute corruption across all sectors of public service, but your support and local knowledge are vital to making this effort more effective,” he said.
He added that the meeting, which brought together key stakeholders at the subnational level, underscored the need for a united front in the fight against corruption, emphasising that confronting corruption is critical to the prosperity of the nation. “No country can thrive where corruption thrives.”
He noted that bribery is most common in public utilities, law enforcement, and administrative services. However, despite these challenges, the positive news is that 70 per cent of Nigerians approached for a bribe in 2023 refused on at least one occasion.
In the North West, 76 per cent of individuals who encountered bribery requests resisted, marking the highest refusal rate among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones and indicating growing resistance to bribery in the region.
“As stakeholders, we must continue to encourage the people of the North West and Nigeria at large to resist bribery demands,” he added.
In his remarks, Justice Muhammad Lawal Shu’aibu, the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, urged anti-graft agencies to intensify efforts in the fight against corruption in all its forms.
