The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Musa Adamu Aliyu, has warned journalists and public relations practitioners against irresponsible reporting of corruption, saying sensational messages about the prevalence of graft could inadvertently normalise the practice.
Aliyu gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 4th Economic Confidential Annual Lecture and 6th National Spokespersons Awards, themed, “Anti-Corruption Reforms, Economic Stability and Effective Communication.”
The ICPC chairman urged journalists and public relations officers to ensure accuracy, fairness and professionalism in reporting and managing crises.
He said repeatedly portraying corruption as widespread could create public fatigue and reinforce the perception that “everyone is doing it,” thereby weakening citizens’ resolve to resist corrupt practices.
Aliyu, however, stressed that the scale of corruption should not be understated, but that communication should combine honest disclosure with practical information on what citizens can do to resist and report wrongdoing.
He said specific and locally relevant messages tied to citizens’ everyday experiences were more effective than broad campaigns about the dangers of corruption.
According to him, highlighting the fact that the majority of Nigerians reject corruption could help build public confidence and encourage citizens to take action.
The ICPC chairman described the media as a strategic component of the anti-corruption fight, noting that investigative journalism had exposed major corruption cases and contributed to institutional reforms.
He, however, said credibility remained the greatest asset of journalism and urged media practitioners to prioritise accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism over sensationalism.
On emerging technology, Aliyu said artificial intelligence and digital tools could improve predictive analytics, fraud detection and procurement monitoring.
He, however, warned that the growing threat of deepfakes and digital misinformation required stronger legal safeguards to prevent technology from becoming a tool for sophisticated forms of corruption.
The ICPC chairman also disclosed that the commission’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative had tracked 4,582 public projects valued at over N22.53tn between 2023 and June 2026.
He said the initiative had helped recover stalled projects valued at N507.04bn and generated estimated savings of N385.62bn for the government.
Aliyu added that court-ordered forfeitures had also resulted in the recovery of public assets, including properties worth more than N5bn linked to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and N941.9m connected to a 2024 payroll fraud scheme.
He said the commission was also consolidating its school-based interventions into a National Schools Integrity Programme, arguing that enforcement alone could not address the root causes of corruption without a corresponding change in societal values.
Aliyu called on communication professionals to see themselves as “shapers of perception”, saying the fight against corruption must be supported by truthful communication capable of earning public trust.
The event, organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited under its Economic Confidential platform, also featured the presentation of a research report on Artificial Intelligence in Crisis Communication in Nigeria.
Aliyu was honoured with an award for championing anti-corruption reforms in recognition of his leadership of the ICPC’s enforcement, prevention and public enlightenment efforts.
