The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has repatriated a sum of $700 million stolen funds and proceeds of corruption concealed in a foreign account.

Besides, the commission also disclosed a total sum of N7.3 billion recovered from abandoned projects in local government areas in the Northwest and Northeastern regions of the country.

ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu SAN, made the disclosure on Thursday during a one-day media dialogue with practitioners from the Northwest and Northeast in Kano.

The ICPC boss explained that the dialogue with the media was part of the critical task of the Commission to strengthen partnership in tackling corruption in the Northeast and Northwest regions.

Dr. Aliyu, who reeled out major achievements of the commission in recent times, hinted that other recoveries of public assets include 14 buildings, 25 plots of land, and three farmlands.

Although the ICPC Chairman confirmed citizens’ resilience to corruption and corrupt practices in the two regions, he solicited media support to sustain citizens’ voices on anti-corruption.

“Despite the challenges of insecurity, high cost of living, poor healthcare, and corruption, citizens in the North-West and North-East have shown remarkable resilience. The UNODC-NBS survey reveals that the North-West recorded the highest bribe refusal rate in the country at 76%, while the North-East recorded 60%.

“Equally encouraging is the growing courage to report corruption. Reports of bribery in the Northern zones rose from 4.7% in 2019 to 13.4% in 2023. More importantly, the share of these reports leading to formal action has almost tripled, from 16% in 2019 to 43% in 2023. These are not just statistics, they tell real stories of Nigerians refusing to be exploited.

“For us to consolidate these gains, we must partner with you, the media. People in these two zones listen to your voices, read your analysis, and follow your reports. Your platforms are powerful channels for spreading anti-corruption messages and bridging the gap between citizens and the Commission,” the ICPC boss noted.

In finding a lasting solution to the deadly scourge, the anti-graft crusader sought community engagement with major stakeholders, including religious and traditional leaders, to deepen the culture of integrity and encourage citizens to reject corruption.

On the part of ICPC, Dr. Aliyu pledged to intensify efforts with the deployment of technology and a strong presence of operatives across the 36 states and local government areas. (The Guardian)