By George Ozalla
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has warned that illicit financial flows (IFFs) are depriving Nigeria of vital resources needed for national development, weakening governance and worsening the economic conditions of ordinary citizens.
Aliyu gave the warning on Tuesday while flagging off a three-day combined training workshop on Illicit Financial Flows and Money Laundering, alongside an Anti-Corruption Leadership Series, at the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The programme brings together public officers, civil servants and stakeholders from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for intensive capacity building on the detection, prevention and reporting of illicit financial activities, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s response to corruption, money laundering and the movement of illicit funds.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the ICPC Chairman said illicit financial flows had continued to deny the country resources that could otherwise be used to finance development and improve public services.
He stated that while the benefits of illicit financial activities were enjoyed by a privileged few, the consequences were borne by the larger society through lost revenue, reduced public services and weakened economic opportunities.
Aliyu said the scale and consequences of illicit financial flows made it necessary for public institutions and their personnel to acquire the knowledge and skills required to identify suspicious transactions and activities and ensure that they were appropriately reported.
He explained that the training was intended to equip participants with practical knowledge that would enable them to detect and deter financial misconduct and contribute more effectively to the protection of public resources.
According to him, the resources lost through illicit financial flows should instead be retained within the economy and deployed for the benefit of Nigerians through effective public spending and development programmes.
The ICPC Chairman also stressed that the fight against corruption could not depend solely on enforcement and prosecution, saying prevention through knowledge, integrity, leadership and continuous capacity building was equally necessary.
“Enforcement is only one leg of the fight against corruption. Sustainable anti-corruption requires prevention through knowledge, integrity and leadership. That is why we are investing in the training of public servants and other stakeholders, so they can understand the nature of corruption, illicit financial flows and money laundering, and apply global best practices in their service delivery,” he said.
Aliyu urged participants to take the workshop seriously and ensure that the knowledge acquired was translated into practical improvements in their respective organisations.
He charged them to become ambassadors of transparency, accountability and integrity, stressing that public officers had an important role to play in protecting government resources and promoting good governance.
The ICPC Chairman further stated that the Commission was committed to repositioning the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria as a world-class institution for anti-corruption training, research and development.
He said ACAN would be transformed into a centre of excellence capable of competing favourably with leading anti-corruption institutions around the world and producing professionals with the skills required to respond to emerging corruption challenges.
According to him, the repositioning of the Academy would strengthen its capacity to provide high-quality training and research while promoting a deeper understanding of corruption prevention, illicit financial flows, money laundering and other related challenges.
He maintained that routine training and capacity development for public and civil servants were essential components of a sustainable anti-corruption strategy, particularly as methods of financial crime continued to evolve.
Aliyu said public servants needed to remain abreast of emerging practices and international standards in order to identify vulnerabilities within government systems and prevent the misuse or diversion of public resources.
In addition to flagging off the workshop, the ICPC Chairman conducted an on-site assessment of facilities at ACAN to identify areas requiring urgent upgrading and improvement.
The inspection formed part of the Commission’s efforts to assess the existing facilities and determine the infrastructure and other requirements needed to reposition the Academy as a world-class anti-corruption learning institution.
Aliyu assured that the Commission would provide the necessary support, infrastructure and partnerships required to upgrade the Academy and enable it to meet international standards in anti-corruption training and education.
He said the investment in ACAN was consistent with the Commission’s broader commitment to strengthening prevention, professional capacity and institutional effectiveness in Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
The three-day workshop is expected to deepen participants’ understanding of illicit financial flows and money laundering while strengthening their capacity to identify, prevent and report suspicious financial activities in the course of their official responsibilities.
