Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has said that fight against corrupt persons
in the country must be neutral and not be turned into a tribal battle.
He said this during the 2013 international anti-corruption day lecture
organised by the ICPC for non-governmental organisations, government
officials, youth-based and anti-graft groups on Monday in Lagos.
The ICPC boss, who was represented by the commission's head of
operations in Lagos, Mr. Shitema Binga, said despite repeated avowals
of self-righteousness in public lives, there were still proven
incidences and allegations of brazen fraud and stealing in different
quarters.
He said, "Corruption should not be trivialised, even where the
offender shamelessly boasts and launders his loot on supposedly legal
ventures or charities. Its arrest and trial also must not be labeled
selective prosecution or tribal cleansing when one's relative or
friend or colleague is indicted as is touted by some quarters.
"We cannot claim to be wise or satisfied as spectators while certain
unscrupulous persons pillage and loot our resources in every guise. I
always consider it most grievous for any person to withdraw to
silence, indifference or outright resignation to incidences of
corruption and related offences.
"Imperfection, indiscretion and pilfering are no excuse even if served
in intangible doses in our public lives. A truly honest Nigerian
cannot be neutral in such an endeavour. It is therefore necessary to
check and scrutinise ourselves to determine our incorruptible, and our
commitment to remain so."
President of Association for Eradication of Corruption in Nigerians,
Mrs. Simbiat Agbalajobi, while speaking on 'Role of the individual in
the fight against corruption', faulted Nigerians, including religious
leaders, for the spread of corruption.
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