The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has called on Attorneys General across the South-East to deepen their collaboration with the Commission in the fight against corruption at the sub-national level.
The call was made by the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, during a roundtable engagement with state Attorneys General of the South-East zone held on Thursday in Enugu.
The event, themed “Strengthening Subnational Synergies for Corruption Prevention: Advancing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy in Nigeria’s South-East Region,” brought together top legal officers from the five states in the zone.
Dr Aliyu described the engagement as a platform for candid discussions, knowledge-sharing, and collective strategy development to address region-specific corruption challenges.
He emphasised the critical role of Attorneys General in the overall justice system and governance structure.
“As the chief law officers of your respective states, your roles go beyond offering legal advice,” he said. “You are vanguards of justice, protectors of public interest, and pivotal partners in ensuring good governance.
The synergy between ICPC and your offices is not just desirable — it is essential.”
The ICPC boss highlighted that similar engagements had been held in the South-South and North-Central regions, with positive outcomes.
He expressed optimism that the South-East would yield the same level of partnership, best practice sharing, and actionable reforms.
Dr Aliyu added that the Commission seeks to build a stronger coalition with states to dismantle the “hydra-headed monster” of corruption, noting that “working together will yield greater results than isolated efforts.”
In his remarks, Dr Kingsley Udeh, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Enugu State, welcomed the initiative, stating that Enugu had already institutionalised several preventive measures against corruption.
He said the state had strengthened internal processes and moved away from cash-based revenue collection to digital platforms, significantly improving transparency and boosting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“Our approach prioritises prevention over prosecution,” Udeh said. “With strengthened institutions and digital revenue systems, we have minimised corruption in our processes.”
On his part, Mr Ben Odoh, Attorney General of Ebonyi State, described the engagement as a step toward formalising collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICPC and the states of the South-East.
He stated that the initiative would allow Attorneys General to handle certain corruption-related petitions internally in partnership with ICPC, thus reducing distractions caused by frequent federal-level summons of government officials.
“If Attorneys General are empowered to receive and filter petitions and work with the ICPC, it will ease the burden on officials and allow smoother governance at the state level,” Odoh said.
In a goodwill message, Senator Emmanuel Udende, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, commended the ICPC for its consistent efforts in pushing institutional reforms and promoting integrity.
“This roundtable represents a bold move towards decentralising the anti-corruption war. By fostering synergy between federal and state actors, we are expanding the frontiers of corruption prevention,” Senator Udende said.
The roundtable concluded with a renewed commitment from all participants to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and prioritise institutional reforms to tackle corruption more effectively across the South-East.
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