We recovered assets, cash worth N105.8bn, secured 31 convictions in one year, says ICPC

Musa Aliyu, the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says the anti-graft agency recovered assets and cash worth N105.82 billion between 2023 and 2024.

A statement issued by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, said Aliyu spoke on Wednesday during a visit by members of the house of representatives committee on anti-corruption.

“The commission received 1,187 petitions in 2023. From January to October 2024, the commission received 851 petitions. In 2023, it secured 18 convictions, while in 2024, it secured 13 convictions,” Bakare quoted Aliyu to have said.

“The asset/cash recovered was N76.75 billion in 2023, while in 2024, ICPC recovered N29.07 billion.”

Aliyu said the commission is collaborating with key stakeholders and other relevant agencies to fight corruption.

The ICPC chairman said the commission led the Nigerian delegation to the global network meeting, where it secured a seat on the steering committee alongside Spain, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and other nations.

Aliyu said early in November, he was elected as the chairman of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum (AARP-F).

The ICPC chairman asked the lawmakers to deploy their constitutional powers to address the overlapping duties among agencies.

He said the Proceed of Crime Act allocates two percent of every recovery to ICPC, but the commission has not been accessing it.

“There is two percent of what we recover, which we are entitled to; we cannot get that two percent without your input because the president has the power to approve, but it must be ratified by the national assembly,” he said.

“You cannot fight corruption whereby those who are the foot soldiers are having a crisis of taking care of themselves and their families; it’s a risk to the commission.’’

Kayode Akiolu, chairman of the house committee on anti-corruption, assured the commission of the panel’s support to achieve its mandate.