Musa Aliyu, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chairman, says Nigerians can eradicate corruption with a changed attitude to wealth acquisition at all costs.

Mr Aliyu said this when he led the ICPC management team on a condolence visit to the family of the late former ICPC chairman, Emmanuel Ayoola, in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Mr Ayoola, who died on August 20 at 90, served the commission between 2005 and 2010.

The ICPC chairman said the corruption challenges in Nigeria could only be abolished if all Nigerians joined hands with the commission and changed their attitude.

He said the corruption issue had been in the country for a long time, and the commission has been trying to tackle it.

“It is in the public domain that ICPC is prosecuting various cases of corruption, ranging from theft, issues of abuse of office, and sexual harassment, among others.

“We are trying to see how we can tackle it as a commission, but we also need the support of Nigerians,” Mr Aliyu said.

According to Mr Aliyu, some people try as much as possible to acquire wealth by whatever means whenever they have the chance to be in positions of authority.

He said neither the Nigerian culture nor any religion in Nigeria supported corruption and wondered why people abuse their offices and engage in wrongful acts in the process.

Mr Aliyu described the late former ICPC chairman as a great man who made lofty contributions to the commission and the legal profession in Nigeria and globally.

“We are all building on this as an agency of integrity, respecter of human rights and adherence to the rule of law,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the family, the deceased’s first daughter, Yemisi Odeniyi, appreciated the commission for identifying with them.

(NAN)