Ayoola Advises EFCC, ICPC To Develop New Strategies In Combating Corruption

Retired Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, a former Chairman of ICPC, on Thursday urged the two anti-graft bodies ICPC and EFCC to develop new strategies in combating corruption in Nigeria.

Ayoola, gave the advice while speaking at the 2015 annual lecture of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors in Lagos.

The theme of the lecture was “Anti-Corruption and Bribery Laws: Extra Territorial Application and Lessons for Business and Government Agencies’’.

According to him, the fight against corruption needed a more holistic and deeply thought-out strategic approach, adding all available resources should be deployed to end the malaise in the country.

“Government must realise that the modalities of criminality do not remain static.

“As the strategies of criminality become more sophisticated, agencies set up to fight such must keep up with whatever becomes a developing trend.

“Nigeria must be ready to revise and reform the totality of the legal framework in relation to the fight against corruption.

“This would help to facilitate result oriented fight against corruption and engender inclusive and popular fight,’’ he said.

According to him, rather than citizens remaining weak and indifferent to corruption, they must enthusiastically participate in efforts to end graft.

“Nigeria’s perception of the fight against corruption is strong in sentiment and emotion but abysmally weak in action and commitment.

“As long as we, at all levels of society, pay lip service to the fight against corruption, it will take longer to rout it in our nation,’’ Ayoola said.

The former Supreme Court judge, however, opposed the merger of the two bodies the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also speaking, the guest lecturer, Prof. Mariana Prado, backed the multiplicity of anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria, stressing that it would enhance their efficiency.

Prado, an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, noted that multiplicity of institutions against corruption has paid off in Brazil and could be useful for a country like Nigeria.

According to her, though, it might be costly and appears to be a duplication of efforts; it could engender competition among the agencies to do a good job.

Prado also advocated for special courts to handle corruption cases, noting that such courts should however work in hand with regular courts in handling corruption cases to engender competitions.

On his part, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), Senior Partner, PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors, said that there was the need to eliminate corruption and bribery in conducting business and public activities.

Idigbe noted that the fight against bribery and corruption by structured and purpose built legislation was now a global affair and must enjoy active participation from every jurisdiction. (NAN)