Follow Us on Google
From Adanna Nnamani and Francis Onyedikachukwu, Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged to make information on assets recovered by the commission available to the public as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in the fight against corruption.
The commission said it would disclose details of recovered assets, insisting that nothing about its recovery activities would be hidden from Nigerians.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the forthcoming African Asset Recovery Practitioners Forum (AARPF) General Assembly, Prince Hassan Muhammed, gave the assurance during a press briefing ahead of the event in Abuja.
Muhammed, who is also the Director of Special Services at the ICPC, said recovered assets belonged to the public and should be accounted for transparently.
“Definitely, ICPC will do that. Nothing is hidden. It’s a public document. Anything recovered is for the public. And so, ICPC will definitely declare anything and whatever has been recovered,” he said.
He explained that asset recovery had become an integral component of the global fight against corruption, stressing that recovering stolen assets was not enough without ensuring that such assets were put to use for the benefit of the generality of the people.
According to him, the African Union-backed forum was designed to harmonise efforts among anti-corruption agencies across the continent and to develop common strategies for tackling corruption through asset recovery.
Other News
“The purpose of the programme is to harmonise the fight against corruption, especially now that asset recovery has become an integral part of what we do, of what anti-corruption agencies do all over the world.
“So here is to synergise, synthesise, come up with strategies, common ways to deal with this menace,” he said.
Muhammed said the General Assembly would also provide an opportunity for participating countries to share experiences and discuss their asset recovery activities, noting that some countries might not publicly disclose details of their recoveries.
He added that participants would visit some locations in Nigeria to see how recovered assets were being utilised.
The meeting, which is expected to bring together representatives from about 52 African countries, is aimed at strengthening continental cooperation in the recovery and management of illicitly acquired assets.
Muhammed, however, said he could not provide figures on the total value of assets recovered in Nigeria ahead of the assembly.
