By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has stated that corruption in Nigeria is so widespread that fully applying the law would imprison a vast majority of the population.
ICPC’s Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for Kaduna State, Mr. Sakaba Ishaku, issued the stark warning at a workshop on local government accountability in Kaduna on Wednesday.
“If the laws were to be applied to the letter, about 80 percent of the people you see walking the street freely will be in jail,” Ishaku declared.
He described corruption as “endemic and deeply entrenched,” driven by weak institutions and a lack of accountability, which diverts public resources and stalls development.
The commissioner challenged local government chairmen who leave office without visible achievements, questioning their legitimacy.
He also called for harsher penalties for graft, stating that current punishments are merely “a slap on the wrist.”
Echoing the concerns, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government, Sadiq Mamman Legas, highlighted how public attitude compounds the problem.
He revealed that communities vandalized and stole from transformers after the state spent billions repairing rural electrification projects.
Both officials called for stronger public enlightenment and community ownership of assets to combat the deep-seated crisis.