By John Ogunsemore
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu has expressed concern over growing ethical crisis in the legal profession.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria cited instances of professional misconduct, delay tactics in court processes, and the misuse of legal procedures to frustrate anti-corruption efforts.
Delivering a goodwill message at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch Annual Law Conference 2025 held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Aliyu said some legal practitioners persist in filing suits challenging the Supreme Court’s decision on the ICPC’s powers of investigation, actions he described as detrimental to the image of the legal profession.
He said, “Lawyers are not just advocates; they are the gatekeepers of justice.
“Sadly, some have chosen to become facilitators in obstructing justice. The ICPC sees this and calls for a collective recommitment to integrity.”
He called on Nigerian lawyers to recommit to ethical practice and take a front-line role in the fight against corruption.
The ICPC chairman emphasised the need for legal innovation to be guided by principles of fairness, confidentiality, and justice.
He also urged lawyers to support whistleblowers, whom he described as “civic heroes” in the anti-corruption struggle.
The senior lawyer advocated for stronger legal protection for whistleblowers and emphasised the role of lawyers in defending their rights.
He further called for reforms in legal education, stressing the importance of integrating ethics, digital literacy, and public interest law into the curriculum, disclosing that the ICPC was engaging with stakeholders to introduce anti-corruption modules in the Nigerian Law School and university law faculties.