NCoS declares zero tolerance for corruption, warns officers against compromise
Nababa said this at a one-day lecture to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day 2023 on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, (ACTU), a unit of the NCoS, in partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related matters Commission (ICPC) to mark the 2023 international ant-corruption day.
The C-G said that Nigerian leaders had recently prioritised the anti-corruption campaign in their policy directions, signaling the level of damage corrupt practices had visited on the country.
He also said that the position was further emphasised by Nigeria’s current rating in the global corruption perception index.
“It is on the strength of the above, that the NCoS has keyed into this firm anti-corruption posture of the Federal Government in actualizing its statutory mandate, “he said.
Nababa said that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Uniting the World Against Corruption” was apt and underscores the fact that corruption was a global phenomenon.
“No doubt, if all national governments make individual commitments to this noble cause through integrity and forthrightness, the entire world will be the better for it,” he said.
According to him, today’s event offers yet another opportunity to further chart this cause.
“For us in the NCoS, our call to shun all corrupt tendencies is a higher one, considering the sensitivity of our mandate and the need to promote a high sense of morality, discipline, probity and professionalism.
“Our zero tolerance for any form of sharp practice among officers and men has remained sacrosanct.
“The Service has never hesitated in sanctioning any personnel found culpable of any established corrupt practice and have responsibly supported all anti-corruption organs of government in carrying out their operations as it concerns our Service and personnel, “he said.
Nababa reiterated the commitment of his administration to fight corruption, saying the authorities of the service had kept its personnel on the path of development through due diligence.
He added that the service had also maintained a commendable rating in the ICPC’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard for a number of years now.
The C-G called on all officers and men to imbibe the core values of the Service, which revolved around discipline, patriotism, integrity and professionalism.
He charged them to pay attention to Standard Operating Procedure of government and due process at all times.
Speaking, the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, who was represented by a Director, Mr Godwin Oche, commend the efforts of the management and staff of the NCoS for the bold initiative.
Aliyu said that the gathering was not only to remind the nation of the danger of the
corruption pandemic, but to also highlight the global efforts and milestones so far
achieved to tame the hydra-headed monster.
He said that the service had over the years been a dependable ally of the ICPC, assiduously supporting the work of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Service to reduce the menace of corruption in the system.
He emphasised that the theme was apposite in view of the incalculable damage corruption had done and still doing to humanity.
According to him, Corruption is a universal pandemic with no regard for social, political, gender, and even religious inclinations. It has often been described as a hydra-headed monster defiant of a single strategy to kill it.
“Corruption is a potent killer, Corruption is a global issue that cannot be tackled by one country of the actor alone. It requires a multilateral response that takes the form of a whole of society approach.
“All stakeholders must act collectively to tackle corruption effectively. An effective fight against it requires coordinated action as the potential for collateral damage is ever present.
“But by standing together and working together, corruption stands no chance and society will reap the benefits of a robust culture of integrity that will heal our land, “he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives from sister agencies like Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) among others were present at the event.
