We can’t fight corruption alone – ICPC

The ‎Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has charged other federal agencies not to leave the fight against corruption for it and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

ICPC said other agencies should join them in the anti-graft fight so as to rip Nigeria of corrupt elements, thereby baling the county out of its social-economic challenges.

ICPC’s commissioner in charge of Oyo and Ogun states, Mr. Stephen Pimor made this declaration while speaking at the lunch of anti-corruption postage stamps at the Ibadan area office of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Pimor who was represented by the Principal superintendent officer of ICPC‎ Mr. Ayo Opara said corruption was not limited to embezzlement of public funds alone but that it could also be attitudinal.
“There’s general mistake that most of us in Nigeria make. Most people think that corruption is all about embezzlement of public funds. But the fact is corruption is all-encompassing and attitudinal.

“For instance, a civil servants who always comes late to work is corrupt. A civil servants who come to work early but refuse carryout is official duties as expected or is found to negligence and lackadaisical is nothing but corrupt”, he said.

Pimor advised Nigerians and corporate bodies to take the war against corruption being championed by the present administration seriously and give all the necessary support to Government to ensure success.

He commended NIPOST for teaming up with ICPC to‎ stamp out corruption through the launching of the anti -corruption postage stamps, calling on other corporate organizations to emulate NIPOST.

Area Postal Manager NIPOST, Oyo territory, Mr. Babatude Ajayi earlier in his welcome address said that corruption had become so endemic in Nigeria that the fight against it should no longer be left in hands of anti-corruption agencies such as ICPC, EFCC and others.

Ajayi said NIPOST decided to key into government policy directions by issuing a set of four postage stamps as part of its contribution towards sensitizing Nigerians on the menace of corruption.

He described the lunch of the postage stamps ‎as timely, saying “the fight against corruption in our history as nation has never been this fierce and productive.”