The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, has observed that corruption remains one of the most significant impediments to Nigeria’s development.
He added that it erodes trust in public institutions, undermines the rule of law, and stifles economic growth.
Speaking on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at the ongoing International Law Conference organised by the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he stated that, “an estimated 87 million bribes, amounting to N700 billion were paid”, adding that the frequency of bribes was higher in rural areas than in urban areas.
The ICPC chairman, who spoke on “Law and Contemporary Societal Issues: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities,” also explained that corruption was not only a legal issue but also a social problem that required a comprehensive and sustained approach.
He stated that in a recent survey by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, corruption ranked fourth among the most critical problems affecting the country in 2023, after cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment.
Despite these challenges, he expressed delight that Nigeria was making progress, pointing out that the rate of citizens reporting bribe payments to official authorities increased from 3.6 per cent in 2019 to 8.6 per cent in 2023 as a testament to the growing awareness and willingness of Nigerians to fight corruption.
The ICPC chairman lamented that abuse of office also remained a form of corrupt practice common in many sectors of the Nigerian public service, stressing that sexual harassment was a significant issue in Nigerian tertiary institutions, with studies indicating a high prevalence among female students.
According to the 2018 World Bank survey, he explained that approximately 70 per cent of female graduates from institutions reported experiencing sexual harassment by classmates or instructors.
He noted human rights and social justice as the cornerstones of a fair society, ensuring dignity, freedom, and equal opportunities for all.
Aliyu observed that corruption undermined rights, breeding inequality and oppression, saying that the ICPC was committed to upholding human rights and promoting social justice by combating corruption and ensuring access to essential services.
The ICPC chairman, who also spoke on digital transformation and cybersecurity, stated that the judiciary needed continuous education and training to effectively adjudicate cyber-related cases such as online fraud, sexual extortion, cybersquatting, and unlawful interception of communications.
According to him, tackling corruption, human rights, digital threats, and environmental issues presented major challenges and exciting opportunities and that those hurdles could be overcome by uniting efforts, embracing innovative technologies, and championing justice.