ICPC Blocks N20bn Ghost Payments, Recovers N2.5bn LG Funds — Chairman

ICPC Blocks N20bn Ghost Payments, Recovers N2.5bn LG Funds — Chairman

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has blocked over N20 billion from reaching ghost workers and recovered more than N2.5 billion from local government remittances across six states as part of its renewed anti-corruption drive.

The Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Monday during the opening ceremony of a two-day capacity-building workshop for judicial officers at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja.

Dr. Aliyu said the recoveries were achieved through his administration’s CARE for Impact policy, which prioritizes corruption prevention while sustaining strong enforcement measures. He added that the initiative aligns with the ICPC’s Strategic Action Plan (2024–2028) aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency in public service.

“These interventions have yielded tangible results over N20 billion blocked from reaching ghost workers and N2.5 billion recovered from local government remittances across six states,” the ICPC Chairman said. “This demonstrates that corruption prevention, when combined with effective law enforcement, produces real impact.”

He, however, stressed that the success of anti-corruption efforts depends heavily on how swiftly and consistently corruption cases are handled by the courts.

“The effective administration of justice in corruption cases requires both vigorous law enforcement and scrupulous judicial oversight. We must ensure that corruption does not pay, and that those found guilty do not benefit from the proceeds of crime,” Dr. Aliyu said.

Speaking on the theme of his lecture, “Fair Trials: Balancing the Statutory Powers of Law Enforcement with Judicial Powers in Adjudicating Corruption Cases,” the ICPC boss emphasized that justice in corruption trials must rest on fairness and integrity, not merely on securing convictions.

“Justice in corruption cases lies in upholding fairness, integrity, and strict adherence to the rule of law,” he noted.

Aliyu also reminded participants that both the ICPC and the judiciary share a constitutional duty under Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power in Nigeria.

“The synergy between law enforcement and the courts remains the cornerstone of a justice system where no one is above the law, no one is beneath its protection, and where the fight against corruption is waged with both strength and fairness,” he concluded.

The workshop, organized in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute, seeks to strengthen cooperation between the judiciary and the ICPC in promoting integrity, accountability, and efficiency within the justice system.