The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of N20 billion in ghost workers’ pensions in 2024. This revelation was made by the commission’s chairman, Musa Aliyu, during a media parley with editors in Abuja on Wednesday.
Aliyu disclosed that proactive measures taken by the anti-corruption agency enabled the recovery and curbed other fraudulent activities within the public sector.
“In 2024, we recovered over N20 billion ghost workers’ pensions, whereby we were able to track and recover this amount of money, and also we identified people inserting ghost workers into the system,” Aliyu stated.
He highlighted a shocking instance where a public official added multiple family members to the government payroll.
“We even discovered that somebody put his wife, his son, and his in-laws on the payroll. So, these are some of the challenges that we are trying to see that we tackle and don’t allow them to go on,” Aliyu said.
The ICPC also thwarted a significant theft attempt involving N50 billion from a government ministry in 2023.
“There is a particular ministry where we restrained over N50 billion from being taken away because of our proactiveness,” Aliyu disclosed.
Battling Corruption: Sleepless Nights and Media Trials
Reflecting on his tenure as attorney-general of Jigawa State from 2019 to 2023, Aliyu revealed the personal challenges he faced combating corruption.
“I had sleepless nights battling corruption. I know how those who feel they can do and undo used all avenues to spread lies and confuse people in order to discredit what we were doing then, but through God’s grace, we reached our destination,” he recounted.
The ICPC chairman emphasized the importance of verified communication while maintaining the integrity of investigations.
“We share verified information through reports, newsletters, press releases, our website, and social media. However, we ensure that informants and the integrity of investigations remain protected,” he said.
Aliyu urged the media to collaborate with the commission in raising public awareness about corruption and promoting its programs.
Call for National Unity Against Corruption
He appealed to Nigerians to unite in the fight against corruption.
“We don’t have an option. If we don’t tackle corruption, our children will have no future. If we don’t fight corruption, those involved will wreck the economy, and we will all suffer for it,” Aliyu warned.
He revealed that the ICPC is partnering with credible civil society organizations to implement corruption prevention programs at the local government level, ensuring transparency in finances and procurement processes.
Strengthening Legal Frameworks and Asset Recovery
Aliyu advocated for a review of Nigeria’s laws to make corruption less appealing. He cited examples from other countries where convicted offenders are mandated to repay stolen funds with interest and are barred from holding public office for up to 10 years.
Recovered assets, he assured, are subjected to the Proceeds of Crime Act, with transparent public auctions overseen by a panel comprising civil society organizations, media, and government procurement experts.
Aliyu’s strong stance underscores the ICPC’s commitment to combating corruption and fostering accountability in Nigeria.