To stop the spread of corruption in Nigeria, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, or ICPC, has urged proper coordination between the military and paramilitary groups.
Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, the chairman of the Independent Commission on Police Conduct (ICPC), made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop titled “21st Century Policing: Capacity Building Techniques and Brand Management for Security Image Makers.”
Speaking through the Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Okparaodu, Dr. Aliyu stated that the ICPC is prepared to collaborate with other sister organizations in the security sector in order to combat corruption.
In his own words: “There is no doubt that a number of initiatives involving stakeholders like you will be necessary to win the war against corruption. It cannot be won in one fell swoop by the ICPC or any other anti-corruption agency alone. This is the point at which you play a pivotal role as the representatives of your agencies.
As public relations experts and brand ambassadors for your companies, it is your responsibility to not only tell the proper stories about them but also to project the right image. It is not expected of you to conceal corrupt activities in order to improve the perception of your company.
Prof. Olawale Babawale, the provost of the Anti Corruption school of Nigeria, had earlier stated in his speech that the school had effectively trained over 24,000 participants using hybrid methodologies since its founding in 2014, even extending to the African Union and the ECOWAS sub-region.
He clarified that public relations professionals have a strategic role as the representatives of their organizations, and as such, they are expected to be the pillars of integrity and true allies in the fight against corruption, particularly for law enforcement, the military, paramilitary, and registered private security organizations.
Prof. Babawale stated: “The learning objectives have been designed in a way that would enable participants to become viable partners in the fight against corruption, as well as to carry out their duties successfully, employing cutting-edge tactics. In this sense, we think the groundwork is set for a long-term, sustained campaign against corruption.
The Nigerian Army, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were among the organizations from which the participants were selected.