ICPC calls for tactical, technology-based measures in fight against corruption

Published by

3 months ago

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has called for more tactical and technology-driven approaches to combat corruption, as financial crimes become increasingly sophisticated.

This appeal was made on Monday during a high-level engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation Team in Abuja.

The IMF delegation, invited to Nigeria by the Federal Government, met with ICPC officials to assess progress on anti-corruption reforms and governance measures as part of its annual economic review.

Representing the Commission, ICPC Secretary Mr Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu, DSSRS, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to tackling corruption through intelligence-led operations and inter-agency collaboration.

In a presentation titled “Nigeria–International Monetary Fund Hybrid Article IV Consultation Exercise,” Richard Bello, Deputy Director of the ICPC’s Planning, Research, and Statistics Department, outlined the Commission’s strategic efforts under the leadership of Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN.

Richard Bello noted that the ICPC remains focused on mitigating the devastating impact of corruption on the Nigerian economy, society, and public governance.

He cited recent high-profile investigations into procurement fraud, embezzlement, abuse of office, and money laundering, which have led to several prosecutions since January 2024.

According to him, “Our intelligence-driven operations have successfully disrupted illicit financial flows and recovered significant public funds.”

He stressed, “We continue to strengthen ties with key partners, including the EFCC, NFIU, CCB, and INTERPOL, to improve intelligence sharing and enforcement.”

Richard Bello also highlighted the Commission’s growing reliance on digital tools and advanced analytics for evidence gathering and case tracking.

However, he pointed to critical challenges impeding progress, including Digital Forensics Limitations, which involve high licensing fees for digital forensic tools, constraining the Commission’s capacity to scale investigations. He further noted Service Withdrawal, specifically the exit of Cellebrite’s forensic services from Nigeria, which has created significant operational gaps in digital investigations.

He also disclosed Cross-Border Legal Hurdles, such as delays in Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) processes and stringent international requirements, which are hampering the retrieval of evidence in transnational corruption cases.

The IMF team, led by Jonathan Pampolina and Ms Nene Ikechukwu of the Federal Ministry of Finance, explored the ICPC’s Corruption Risk Assessment methodology and the broader legal reforms needed to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.

The meeting, which underscored the urgency of adopting data-driven, collaborative approaches to tackle systemic corruption, was attended by directors from key ICPC departments, including the Provost of the training arm of the Commission, the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN). This was stated in a release signed by Demola Bakare, Director of Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the Commission.