The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that corrupt individuals do not benefit from their ill-gotten wealth.
Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the commission’s Chairman, made this statement during the inauguration of the ICPC’s prototype state office building in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.
Owasanoye emphasized that the commission’s anti-corruption efforts were making steady progress due to the collective commitment of stakeholders across the country. He also highlighted the ICPC’s collaboration with credible partners to address illicit financial flows (IFFs) out of the country.
He stated, “So far, our Proceeds of Crimes Tracing, Recovery, Management tool has ensured that the corrupt are denied the luxury of enjoying their ill-gotten gains. In this regard, the commission has, in accordance with the recently passed Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, disposed of some of the movable and immovable proceeds of crime on which it secured final forfeiture.”
Owasanoye stressed that the fight against corruption is a collective responsibility, not solely that of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies. He highlighted the significance of addressing corruption as an existential threat to societal stability, peace, and progress. He warned that failing to combat corruption could lead to a social crisis.
The ICPC Chairman urged the Ondo State government to join hands in the fight against corruption. He noted that Ondo was among the states that received one of the prototype buildings delivered in the first phase of the commission’s initiative across the country. The two-story facility is equipped with a conference room, staff offices, interview rooms, detention facilities, a library, and storage facilities, all of which will enhance the productivity of the officers deployed to the state.
In response, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu expressed the state’s continued commitment to combating corruption. He assured that the government would collaborate in cleansing the system of corrupt individuals. This collective effort emphasizes the importance of all stakeholders working together to address the pervasive corruption issue in society.
