ICPC, UN AGENCY MOVE TO CURB FRAUD IN NORTH-EAST RELIEF OPERATIONS
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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has partnered with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) to tackle corruption and fraudulent activities threatening humanitarian aid delivery in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The partnership aims to identify corruption risks, prevent the diversion of relief supplies and strengthen accountability in the distribution of assistance to vulnerable communities across the North-East and the Lake Chad region.
Speaking during a familiarisation visit to UN OCHA’s office in Maiduguri on Tuesday, the ICPC Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner overseeing Borno and Yobe states, Linus Gubbi, said the visit was intended to formally introduce the commission’s leadership to the humanitarian agency and establish direct communication channels between both organisations.
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Gubbi acknowledged UN OCHA’s critical role in coordinating life-saving humanitarian assistance, mobilising resources and providing relief to millions of vulnerable people across the region.
He said the visit had three major objectives, including establishing communication channels, identifying areas vulnerable to corruption and laying the groundwork for a long-term partnership that would incorporate anti-corruption measures into humanitarian operations.
“Our presence today is driven by three primary objectives: to formally introduce the ICPC Borno State leadership to OCHA and establish direct channels of communication between our institutions,” he said.
He added that the commission would work with the agency to identify corruption risks, supply chain leakages and fraudulent practices that could undermine the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.
According to Gubbi, the partnership would also provide UN OCHA with access to specialised anti-corruption training, relevant information, secure reporting channels and prompt investigations into suspected infractions.
He said the commission could support humanitarian personnel and local partners through capacity-building programmes on anti-corruption procedures, early access to information about suspected diversion or misuse of resources, and technical guidance on strengthening internal control systems.
Gubbi appreciated UN OCHA for its warm reception and urged the organisation to take advantage of the collaboration to promote transparency and accountability in humanitarian operations.
He described the agency’s work in coordinating relief efforts and mobilising resources for vulnerable populations across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and the wider Lake Chad region as indispensable.
In her remarks, the Head of Office of UN OCHA in Maiduguri, Patricia Mucheche, stressed the need for capacity building to ensure that stakeholders understood accountability procedures and the appropriate channels for reporting suspected misconduct.
She said stakeholders needed clear information on how to report wrongdoing, the procedures that followed such reports, expected timelines, confidentiality safeguards and possible outcomes.
Mucheche noted that transparent reporting mechanisms and effective information sharing would strengthen stakeholders’ confidence and encourage the responsible management of humanitarian resources.
She described the partnership with the ICPC as timely and assured that UN OCHA would continue collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency in the delivery of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities across the North-East.
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