The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has identified poor wages for salary earners and the lack of integrity among public officials as major causes of corruption in Nigeria.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, made this known during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Northern Zone, which was attended by media executives from various print, electronic, and new media outlets across the 19 Northern states.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Aliyu highlighted the commission’s achievements, including the recovery of ₦20 billion from ghost workers and pension-related fraud.
He urged journalists to uphold professional integrity, fact-check their reports, and avoid compromising ethical journalism. He also sought media collaboration in exposing financial crimes and cases of sexual harassment in both public and private institutions.
The Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Director of News, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Husseina Akila, called for a sustained partnership between the ICPC and the media to enhance the commission’s effectiveness.
Similarly, Abdullateef Abubakar, Editor-in-Chief of Solace Base, Kano, and Gbenga Aruleba of a private television station, urged the ICPC to strengthen preventive measures against the mismanagement of public funds, particularly in constituency projects.
Other editors and media executives at the meeting commended Dr. Musa Aliyu’s leadership, acknowledging his commitment to tackling corruption since assuming office.