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UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

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UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

By Michael Mike

The United Nations has prescribed more ways to give bites to Nigeria’s anti-corruption war.

A statement on Thursday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) while commending the country for the success recorded so far in it’s anti-corruption war, noted that there are rooms for improvements and more successes.

The UNODC had brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, the media and youth groups involved in the fight against corruption to discuss progress made in the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

In order to facilitate the dialogue, UNODC had presented the preliminary findings of a study it conducted over the past months through extensive consultation with anti-corruption agencies and other relevant stakeholders to assess the efforts undertaken by Nigeria to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Review Mechanism.

Following ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2004 and establishment of the Review Mechanism in 2009, Nigeria has undergone two reviews for its implementation of the Convention. The first review was carried out in 2014 by Lesotho and Montenegro, while the second review was completed by Cote d’Ivoire and Myanmar in 2019.

The 2014 and 2019 review reports contained a total of 65 recommendations. The study found that Nigeria had made progress in implementing 51 of the 65 recommendations, with the greatest strides being made in the area of asset recovery.

The UNODC also suggested a set of targeted actions for Nigeria to fast-track the follow up to some of the pending review recommendations. These actions include, for example, harmonizing the collection of anti-corruption data, instituting more regular coordination meetings among heads of anti-corruption agencies, and accelerating the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

The presentation of the preliminary findings of the study was followed by a high-level panel discussion with the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba; Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa; Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Isah Mohammed; Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Sadiq Radah; Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, Ambassador Ifeyinwa Angela Nworgu; Founder and Executive Director of Agora Policy, Mr. Waziri Adio;
and Member of the European Union Youth Sounding Board, Mr. Mubarak Idris.

The panelists discussed the findings of the study and suggested ways for Nigeria to further enhance the impact of its anti-corruption investments.

Mrs. Jedy-Agba outlined how her Ministry is working to improve coordination across Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies through the establishment of an inter-ministerial body overseeing and coordinating the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Bawa identified some of the drivers behind his agency’s recent successes in securing a rapidly growing number of convictions, from 195 in 2016 to 3,615 in 2022 so far.

He explained that the EFCC had invested significant resources in training and equipping its staff adequately, while also developing new policy documents and Standard Operating Procedures to increase internal coordination and efficiency.

Professor Mohammed emphasized the benefits of digitizing and automating asset declarations by public officials, which are currently conducted through face-to-face interviews. In his view, phasing out human interactions would fast track declaration processes, free up human resources and provide greater confidentiality for the disclosure of sensitive information.

Professor Radah of PACAC praised Nigeria for its successful recovery of ill-gotten assets, though he emphasized the need for continued improvement in this area. He insisted that “asset recovery is key to ensure that crooks never benefit from the proceeds of crime”

Idris stressed the importance of investing recovered assets in youth-focused projects. As a youth representative, he explained that the effective reduction in corruption would be critical for young people to have increased confidence in Government.

With respect to the UNCAC review recommendations, Adio pointed out that “anything that is not assigned rarely gets done”. Thus, he argued that an effective way to strengthen implementation is to clearly assign recommendations to specific anti-corruption bodies.

Ambassador Nworgu recognized the anti-corruption efforts undertaken by the Federal Government, while calling for greater engagement with State and local governments in this regard.

Supporting Nigeria in the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), with a view to safeguarding people, institutions and the economy from corruption and illicit financial flows is a key priority area for UNODC’s work in Nigeria, as laid out its 2030 Strategic Vision for Nigeria. It has also been identified as one of the transformative initiatives in the newly adopted 2023-2027 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Nigeria.

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VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

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VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

By: Michael Mike

Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.

The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.

In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.

“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.

“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.

The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.

Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.

Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

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Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

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Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

By: Michael Mike

The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.

A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.

“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”

According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.

The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.

Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

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Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

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Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People


…. Donates relief materials to displaced persons in Yelwata, IDP camp

By: Michael Mike

Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has charged former governors, legislators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Benue state to set aside rivalry, unite and act with urgency to save their people from incessant attacks and killings.

Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Principal Partner, Brookfield Chambers Abuja stated this on Saturday 28th June 2025 while donating relief materials to victims of the recent gunmen attacks in Yelwata community and displaced persons at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Some of the items donated under the banner of Women, Youth, Children and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), a non-governmental organization founded by her, include: bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam and other household items.

She said: “This is no time for division. It is no time for political squabbling or ego-driven manoeuvring. Among us are men and women who have led this state — former governors, legislators, traditional rulers — individuals with influence and authority. The time has come to set aside our differences and stand united, for the sake of the ordinary Benue man, woman, and child.

“That is why I stand here today to make this urgent and heartfelt appeal to our leaders: cast aside rivalry, unite, and act. Act with urgency. Act with purpose. Because what we face now increasingly resembles a deliberate, coordinated effort to erase our people and our heritage.

“We must take heed of the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who once said:
‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them.’
Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our present predicament:
‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed… you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”

Waziri, while stating that her call was a build up to the earlier proposal by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit Beforehand Benue, noted that meetings alone would not solve the problem, urging that: “But let us be sincere: peace will not come from meetings alone. To end the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots. Before the Yelwata massacre, communities in Gwer West, Apa, and Guma had already endured weeks of killings, kidnappings, and raids. These horrors did not emerge in a vacuum; they are symptoms of deeper issues.

“We must therefore confront the real causes — ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, and the rise of cultism as well as the abuse of illicit drugs. These forces must be tackled, along with the herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage. We cannot afford to keep going in circles. And there is no room for blame games. Our leaders — and indeed, all of us — must be pragmatic. So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that never again will a child in Benue grow up in a camp instead of a home”

She said the development in Benue must be of “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proferring solutions that will bring an end to these barbaric acts”

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

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