The ICPC chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN, has called for urgent judicial reforms and stronger collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive.

Spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Demola Bakare, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Bakare quoted Mr Aliyu as making the call during a courtesy visit to the NJI in Abuja, where he was received by the Institute’s Administrator, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, alongside members of the management team.

The ICPC chairman stressed for Nigerians to trust the judicial system; corruption cases should not drag endlessly in courts.

”There is a pressing need to amend the Constitution to impose a time limit on the resolution of corruption cases, just as is done with election petitions,” Mr Aliyu said.

He warned that conflicting judgements at trial courts, especially when they run contrary to appellate rulings, were eroding confidence in the judiciary.

”This inconsistency undermines public trust in our justice system,” he added.

Mr Aliyu underlined the deep historical ties between ICPC and the judiciary, noting that the commission’s pioneer leaders were retired judges.

He said that courage, knowledge, and integrity formed the foundation of mutual values binding both institutions, adding that the NJI had a pivotal role in ensuring that the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) was effectively implemented.

”The corrupt must be deprived of the proceeds of crime through civil forfeiture and speedy criminal trials. Nigerians must see clearly that corruption does not pay,” he stated.

The ICPC boss identified three thematic areas requiring urgent attention.

He said these include a constitutional amendment to speed up corruption cases, judicial consistency in judgements, and reconstitution of NJI’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), which has been inactive since 2023.

”We urge the administrator to reconstitute the ACTU and forward the nominees to ICPC. ACTUs are vital compliance structures for preventing corruption within institutions,” Mr Aliyu added.

He also lauded NJI’s ongoing judicial training programmes, describing them as a foundation for building public trust.

In his response, Mr Adejumo commended the ICPC chairman for the timely visit and pledged the institute’s readiness to support the commission’s anti-corruption mandate.

The NJI’s administrator emphasised that training judges was crucial to strengthening their integrity and resilience against corruption.

According to him, neglecting the judiciary is akin to forgoing the well-being of the nation via a lack of justice.

He highlighted that delays in the dispensation of justice continue to fuel public distrust in the judiciary.

He, however, revealed that NJI had moved from fragmented judicial training programmes to a more coordinated structure backed by law.

Mr Adejumo also disclosed that an upcoming ICPC, NJI workshop for judges would create room for “sincere discussions” about the growing tactics used to corrupt judicial officers.

He said, “The law is a tool of social engineering meant to close the lacuna of injustice and provide a realistic path to equality and equity.’’

He noted that the consequences of a weak judiciary extended beyond justice delivery, saying, “If courts fail, the economy and governance as a whole will suffer.”

Speaking on corruption prevention, Mr Adejumo advised that the welfare of judicial officers and other officials in sensitive positions must be prioritised.

He added, “The well-being of people who work in sensitive positions must be prioritised to reduce the risk and temptation of corruption.’’

He urged aspiring judges to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and selflessness, instead of being drawn to the perks of office.

On Mr Aliyu’s proposal for constitutional reforms to fast-track corruption cases, Mr Adejumo assured that NJI would remain a reliable partner to ICPC in building a transparent justice system.

He pledged that NJI would maintain “a corruption-free relationship with all and sundry” while offering institutional support to ICPC whenever required. 

(NAN)