The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has sounded a grave warning that Nigeria’s corruption crisis is so pervasive that strict enforcement of anti-graft laws could see the majority of citizens behind bars.
The warning came from the ICPC Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for Kaduna State, Sakaba Ishaku, during a capacity-building workshop on local government accountability held on Wednesday by the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Speaking under the theme, “Accountability in Local Government: A Springboard for National Development,” Ishaku said corruption has become “endemic and deeply entrenched across all levels of governance and society.”
“If the laws were applied fully, about 80 percent of the people you see walking the streets freely would be in jail,” he said, stressing that weak institutions, lack of accountability, and socio-economic pressures have allowed corrupt practices to flourish unchecked.
He further warned that most wealth in the country is tied to some form of illegality.
“There is no massive wealth acquired without criminality. Even if it comes by bequest, check its origin—at best, it involves underpaid labor,” Ishaku said.
The ICPC Commissioner also criticised local government chairmen who leave office without any tangible achievements.
“It is appalling when council chairmen complete two terms without leaving a visible legacy. Do you really deserve the position?” he asked.
Ishaku urged the review of existing anti-corruption laws to ensure harsher penalties. “When someone steals ₦2 billion and serves only five years in prison, it is merely a slap on the wrist,” he said.
He also recommended mandatory project monitoring similar to the ICPC’s Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative, which has compelled contractors who abandoned projects to resume work.
Supporting the ICPC’s concerns, Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sadiq Mamman Legas, said poor civic responsibility is a major obstacle to development.
“Kaduna is a key economic gateway for Northern Nigeria, yet progress is hampered by weak leadership and public apathy,” he said.
Legas disclosed that the ministry saved over ₦8–9 billion through rural electrification projects in Zonkwa, Makarfi, Ikara, Kudan, and Soba, only to witness the vandalisation of transformers by local communities.
He called for stronger collaboration between government agencies and communities to protect public assets and ensure sustainable development.
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