At least 100 houses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) believed to have been corruptly acquired have been impounded by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Speaking on Wednesday in Calabar, Cross River State, where he is representing Chairman of ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta a two-day retreat on the Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, a commissioner in ICPC, Alhaji Isa Salami said all the houses were seized in the last four months.
According to Salami, ICPS is also prosecuting erstwhile Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Sunday Ehindero, for alleged diversion of N16m belonging to the Nigeria Police Force to his personal use.
Discussing the commission’s activities, he said the ICPC has published a Law Report documenting all the cases it has prosecuted since 1999, while also embarking on public education and enlightenment on its activities.
“We have to encourage the public to buy into the war against corruption so that they own it,” he said. “So, we must always capture public sympathy and support for our actions. In this drive we visit schools, where young people are to catch them young and advise them against glorifying corruption.”
Salami revealed that the commission has been visiting universities, where it has begun a system review with the overall target of eliminating to the barest minimum processes and procedures that encourage corruption.
He then assured that similar strategy would be employed in the aviation and marine sectors, considering their importance as entry points for foreigners into the country.
“These areas of our economy affect the foreigners’ first impression about us,” he said. “It indirectly affects foreign direct investment in the country, which is critical for the growth of our economy.”
