Anti-corruption Fight by Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Corruption is implicated for the low level of infrastructural facilities in Nigeria, and solving the challenge of corruption by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) would enhance sustainable development in the country. The purpose of this paper is to examine the activities of ICPC in ensuring sustainable development in Nigeria. The paper was built around the deterrence theory which helped our understanding of the place of certainty of punishment, severity of punishment and celerity of punishment in preventing potential corrupt-individuals from indulging in crimes, which would ultimately protect the future of the future generations in Nigeria through increased public savings and rational allocation of public resources. Data for the paper were collected largely from secondary and primary sources of data. Primary data were collected from in-depth interview, while secondary data were collected from official reports of ICPC as well as internet materials on corruption and anti-corruption fight and how it affected sustainable development in Nigeria. Primary data collected were analysed using narrative-analytic method, while data collected from secondary source were analysed using content analysis. It was discovered that corruption largely affected the wellbeing or security of Nigerians, while anti-corruption fight by ICPC has increased the level of infrastructural development in the country, hence giving a ray of hope for the realisation of sustainable development therein. Among other things, it was recommended that recovered loots from public officials should be used for improving the wellbeing of Nigerians