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Stakeholders have called for sustained efforts, collaboration, and a focus on ethics and integrity to ensure progress in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede; Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Musa Aliyu; Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, among others made the call in Abuja on Thursday.
They spoke at the 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room in Abuja with the theme: Ethics, Integrity, Corruption Risk Assessments and Anti-Corruption at National and Sub-National levels: Sustaining the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
The programme was organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre, Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, ICPC, EFCC with the support of MacArthur Foundation.
In his address, the EFCC Boss stressed the importance of integrity and ethical conduct in governance, highlighting the crucial role that integrity plays in the fight against corruption in Nigeria and urged both leaders and citizens to reflect on their own behaviours.
Olukoyede pointed out that governance should not be seen as an opportunity to accumulate wealth but as a serious responsibility.
The Chairman therefore called for a collective effort to fight corruption, noting that the success of this battle depends on both the leaders and the citizens.
He encouraged people to avoid defending individuals under investigation for corruption and to instead support the efforts to uncover and address these issues.
“I keep telling people that governance is a serious business. Governance is the most difficult thing anywhere in the world, where things work. Unfortunately, we see governance here as a means to make wealth and that is why the rate of public corruption is so high.
“I am not saying I am a saint. What I am saying is there are certain things you should avoid when you find yourself in a kind of precarious position that we find ourselves in. So that when you are fighting, nobody will have anything against you.
“The fight against corruption is for everyone. When you see people being investigated and we have shown you the evidence, don’t join them to carry placards and abuse EFCC, ICPC, and because you are contributing to the problems.
“Ask yourself this question: Can you defend everything you have now legitimately? We have people who still have integrity in this country. Let us support them,” the chairman explained.
The ICPC Chairman articulated a three-pronged approach to combating corruption: enforcement, prevention, and public enlightenment.
Aliyu underlined that enforcement holds “offenders accountable, prevention focuses on creating systems that reduce corrupt practices, and public enlightenment fosters a culture of integrity among citizens.”
He further stated the need for a multisectoral approach involving all stakeholders—government, civil society, the private sector, and the media—to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms at both the national and subnational levels.
Also, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, emphasised that while enforcement plays a significant role in addressing corrupt practices, systemic prevention methods are more effective at tackling corruption at its root.
Sawyerr advocated for the use of technology to enhance transparency and reduce opportunities for corruption, particularly in the operations of NELFUND.
He stated, “The corporate strength, existence and ultimate economic and social stability of any nation no doubt depend on the accountable and transparent management of its resources in a manner devoid of corruption and to promote prosperity, fairness and equity amongst the citizens.
“As a policy, all internal processes at NELFUND are technology-enabled and dependent. We are sure this approach is not just peculiar to NELFUND as it is common knowledge that the government of President Bola Tinubu has been consistent in promoting the use of technology in federal agencies in delivering public service.”
Furthermore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana stressed the importance of directly involving the people in the fight against corruption, especially when large sums of money are at stake.
Falana explained that many Nigerians, particularly those in rural areas, do not understand the full scale of corruption in monetary terms.
He urged the EFCC to go beyond just fighting criminality in the courts and to take more decisive action. He challenged the EFCC Chairman, stating, “Please, it is not enough to tell us not to join those who are celebrating criminality. You must take it up.
“You cannot succeed without an alliance with the people, the victims of corruption. You must go out there, mobilise Nigerian workers, intellectuals, and young people.”
The Chairman, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, Olanrewaju Suraju said that while Nigeria may have an abundance of laws aimed at combating corruption, the real challenge lies in the political will to enforce and implement these laws effectively. He also stressed the critical role of civil society, the media, and the public in promoting transparency and pushing for accountability, especially in an environment where politicians might lack the will to push anti-corruption agendas.
Suraju noted, “The only problem we always have is the commitment and the will to implement the law. If we can implement 50 per cent of the laws in Nigeria, we will be far better than where we are.”
