ICPC Blocks N5.9bn Fraud, Recovers N29.7bn In One Year
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has intercepted the diversion of N5.882 billion, while conducting a Systems Study and Review, SSR, of 323 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs.
The effort, part of its Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, EICS, initiative, also saw the establishment of 80 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units, ACTUs, across MDAs to reinforce accountability.
This was disclosed by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, during an event in Abuja, yesterday, to mark his first year in office.
Speaking at the commission’s End of Year Engagement, Dr. Aliyu outlined the ICPC’s achievements in combating corruption and repositioning itself as Nigeria’s foremost anti-graft agency.
He said: “As part of its commitment to institutional accountability, the commission assessed 323 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, through its Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, EICS.
“It also established 80 ACTUs across MDAs to reinforce its anti-corruption efforts. While doing these, the commission stopped the diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.882 billion.”
Over the past year, the commission recovered ?29.7 billion in cash, domiciled in ICPC recovery accounts.
It also remitted N10.986 billion in Value Added Tax, VAT, to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, N10 billion from a COVID-19 vaccine fund to the treasury, and secured assets valued at N2.5 billion through final forfeiture.
Additionally, $966,900.83 in foreign currency is now held in the ICPC-CBN recovery account.
According to Aliyu, the commission tracked 1,500 projects valued at N610 billion nationwide under the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative, CEPTI, Phase 7.
He explained that fieldwork for this phase was completed last week, while the report for Phase 6, conducted last year, has been finalized and made public.
On investigation and prosecution, Aliyu disclosed that the ICPC processed 851 petitions, assigned 342 for investigation, fully investigated 95 cases, filed 72 in court, and secured 16 convictions.
The commission has also resuscitated several cases that had stalled for over a decade in court.
Dr. Aliyu further noted progress in combating sexual harassment and corruption in educational institutions and public offices.
