In a significant move to embed ethical values in Nigeria’s educational system, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has charged newly inducted members of the Students’ Anti-Corruption Clubs (SACs) to embrace honesty, accountability and patriotism as cardinal principles of their personal and academic lives.
Speaking during the formal inauguration of SACs across 40 private secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory, held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Dr. Aliyu underscored that integrity remains the bedrock upon which sustainable national development must be built.
The event, which drew representatives from educational institutions, civil society organisations and development partners, marked a pivotal expansion of the Commission’s preventive anti-corruption strategy, which had previously concentrated on public schools.
Addressing the assembled students, the ICPC Chairman described their inauguration as more than a ceremonial rite, characterising it rather as a solemn call to service in the national crusade against corruption and other anti-social behaviours.
The Chairman urged the students to serve as ambassadors of integrity within their school communities and beyond, challenging them to reject the culture of impunity and embrace the values that would distinguish them as future leaders of character.
Dr. Aliyu explained that youth engagement constitutes one of the Commission’s cardinal anti-corruption strategies, firmly anchored in its statutory mandate under Section 6 of the ICPC Act of 2000. This provision empowers the Commission to educate, mobilise and galvanise young people in the collective fight against corrupt practices.
The Chairman noted that the extension of the Students’ Anti-Corruption Club initiative to private secondary schools represents a landmark achievement in the Commission’s preventive framework.
In a revelation underscoring the scale of the Commission’s educational outreach, Dr. Aliyu disclosed that more than 20 million Nigerian youths have benefited from the ICPC’s integrity reorientation programmes since their inception in 2003.
These initiatives, which include the National Values Curriculum, Students’ Anti-Corruption Clubs in primary and secondary schools, and Students’ Anti-Corruption Vanguards in tertiary institutions, have collectively laid a solid foundation for ethical leadership and responsible citizenship among young Nigerians, the Chairman noted.
The ICPC Chairman expressed profound appreciation to the Commission’s development partners whose support has been instrumental in advancing the anti-corruption agenda.
He particularly acknowledged the contributions of Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI), Step Up Nigeria, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT Chapter, for their unwavering commitment to promoting integrity among Nigerian children.
In a significant policy announcement, the Director of Public Education Department, Mr. Demola Bakare, revealed a new strategic direction approved by the ICPC Chairman to intensify the Commission’s engagement with educational institutions.
Mr. Bakare disclosed that the Chairman, alongside officials from the Education Department, would undertake impromptu visits to schools to facilitate interactive sessions with students on values capable of transforming Nigeria’s developmental trajectory.
In a further innovation, the Commission’s engagements with schools will henceforth be integrated into Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, creating a tripartite platform where parents, teachers and students can collectively participate in value reorientation programmes.
Development partners present at the event lauded the Commission for its sustained commitment to preventive approaches in combating corruption through values-based education.
In their respective remarks, they unanimously encouraged the students to reject examination malpractice, dishonesty and other unethical practices, while embracing integrity, accountability and responsible citizenship as guiding principles for personal conduct and future leadership.
The partners reaffirmed their continued support for the Commission’s educational initiatives, describing the Students’ Anti-Corruption Clubs as a vital investment in Nigeria’s future.
The inauguration of the Students’ Anti-Corruption Clubs forms an integral component of the Commission’s broader strategy of preventing corruption through public education and value reorientation.
The ultimate objective, according to the ICPC, is to raise a generation of young Nigerians who will champion transparency, accountability and good governance across all sectors of national life.
As the 40 newly inaugurated clubs begin their work, the Commission has expressed confidence that these student ambassadors will rise to the challenge of their generation, proving that integrity is not merely an abstract virtue but a practical pathway to national renewal. #Securitynewsalert.com
