No fewer than 50 civil society organisations have condemned moves to blackmail the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and others in their war against corruption.
They spoke at a press briefing to discuss the state of corruption and malicious attacks on anti-corruption institutions.
The press briefing on Thursday covered anti-corruption institutions both at the national and sub-national levels in the country.
Speaking, the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani, expressed concern over the development.
Rafsanjani said: “We have observed with great concern the malicious attacks and deliberate efforts to blackmail anti-corruption agencies through sponsorship influencers, incentivised opinion publications in some national dailies, online and electronic platforms, all targeted at discouraging anti-corruption efforts and shielding the kleptocrats from thorough investigation.
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“The pattern is clear: There is an unfolding plot of surreptitious moves to backpedal on the progress made by anti-corruption progress.”
Rafsanjani said this has exposed anti-corruption work to serious setbacks and deliberate sabotage that cripple the efficiency of the anti-corruption agencies.
“So the fight against corruption is for all of us, it is for all Nigerians because the consequences has led us to the situation we have found our selves today,” he said.
Prof. Jubril Ibrahim, Senior Partner, Centre for Democracy and Development, said corruption in the country has reached an alarming stage.
Ibrahim alleged that the judiciary that was supposed to checkmate corruption has been bought over by enablers of corruption and increased corruption through bribery of judges.
He said: “There has been consented war by corrupt people to make sure that anti-corruption agencies are unable to prosecute corrupt individuals and prevent such institutions from carrying out their mandate.
“We feel if we allow this destruction of the Nigerian state to continue, we will not have a country and the risk is that the present tragedy of anarchy will prevail.
“We must stop this level of corruption from continuing to grow if we must survive as a country.”
Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, said upholding the rule of law is key to fighting corruption.
Itodo said: “Attacks on institutions that have the mandate of defending our democracy should not be encouraged.
“This is reprehensible, unacceptable.
“When we attack these institutions, especially when they act to advance public interest, we are undermining trust and the rule of law.”
The Country Director, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Odeh Friday, said there was the need to set up ethics and integrity departments in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to build public trust.
Friday also called for the strengthening of the Whistleblowing Act to protect whistleblowers from being attacked by those they expose.
The Convener, Good Governance Team, Tunde Salman, said the fight against corruption should be citizen-driven and not government-driven.
Salman said there was the need to capacitate those agencies of government that have the mandate to investigate corruption, adding that special attention should be given to them and technology should be deployed to reduce human interference.
The groups recommended that the National Judicial Council must diligently monitor its members and promptly remove any corrupt judicial officer found to be compromising the judicial system.
They said: “This requires holding politicians accountable for their actions and inactions, strengthening institutions to combat corruption, and ensuring that the allocation of resources is done in a fair and equitable manner.
“We urge the ruling All Progressives Congress and other political parties to take decisive action in purging its ranks by denouncing and breaking support with their members who are currently being investigated by anti-corruption agencies.
“Adequate resource allocation to the anti-corruption agencies has become imperative to uphold their independence and enhance efficiency in the anti-corruption process.
“We urge I-G to promptly reinstate the police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission, to facilitate the effective execution of Commission’s duties.”
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