August 24, 2025
By Peter Omopo
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu, has called for constitutional amendments to set deadlines for the prosecution of high-profile corruption cases.
Speaking on Saturday during Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Aliyu argued that corruption trials should not be open-ended but concluded within specific timeframes, similar to the constitutional limits placed on election petitions.
“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us,” he said, warning that cases often drag on for 10 to 15 years without resolution.
Aliyu, who had previously opposed the idea of special courts, said he now supports them after reviewing practices in other countries. “You need a time frame to finish corruption cases. Unfortunately, our constitution, the way it was crafted, ensures that you cannot determine the time unless it is stipulated,” he explained.
The ICPC boss also raised concerns about the implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, pointing to political interference as a major obstacle. He further described state independent electoral commissions as a “big challenge” to credible democracy, alleging that ruling parties in states consistently dominate local elections.
On the progress of the anti-graft war, Aliyu cited findings from the 2024 corruption survey conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with Nigerian agencies, noting that 70 per cent of citizens refused to pay bribes between 2019 and 2023.
He added that more Nigerians are now reporting corruption without fear of backlash, describing it as a sign of growing public confidence.
Aliyu also highlighted Nigeria’s slight improvement on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, moving from 145th to 140th position. “People will look at it as not much, but it’s still progress,” he said.
