ICPC, law deans move to introduce anti-corruption studies in universities, law school

Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Nigeria’s legal education stakeholders are considering the introduction of ethics and anti-corruption studies into university law programmes and the Nigerian Law School curriculum.

The proposal emerged on Tuesday during the ICPC and Nigerian Law School workshop for Deans of Faculties of Law in Abuja, themed “Institutionalising Anti-Corruption Education in Nigerian Legal Training.”

Speaking at the event, ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, said corruption continues to weaken institutions, undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in Nigeria.

According to him, prosecution and investigation alone are insufficient to tackle corruption, stressing that preventive measures and value-based education must begin during legal training.

He said lawyers occupy a central position in sustaining justice, governance and public confidence, adding that ethical foundations established during legal education would shape the future integrity of the profession.

Aliyu explained that integrating anti-corruption studies into LL.B. programmes and professional legal training would help produce lawyers who are both intellectually competent and ethically grounded.

He noted that the initiative aligns with the ICPC’s mandate under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, which covers enforcement, prevention and public education.

“The workshop will brainstorm on curriculum content, delivery models and training methodologies for lecturers and facilitators. It will also strengthen collaboration between ICPC, universities and the Nigerian Law School in promoting transparency and accountability,” he said.

The ICPC chairman added that the framework would emerge through consultation with legal academics rather than being imposed by the commission.

He urged participants to determine whether anti-corruption studies should be integrated into existing law courses, introduced as general studies, or taught as a standalone subject.

Aliyu further pledged institutional support for any framework adopted and described the initiative as a pilot programme that could later be expanded to other professional disciplines.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Emeka Ngige, described corruption as a major obstacle to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

Ngige commended the ICPC for organising what he called an “epochal and thought-provoking workshop,” stressing that legal education must produce practitioners equipped with both legal knowledge and strong ethical values.

“The Nigerian Law School through teaching and learning has emerged as the furnace where future leaders of the Bar and Bench are forged. Infusing anti-corruption studies into the curriculum of the Law School is an idea whose time has come,” he said.

He argued that introducing anti-corruption education into legal training would strengthen public confidence in the justice system and support the work of anti-corruption agencies.

Ngige also warned universities against exceeding admission quotas approved for law faculties by the National Universities Commission and the Council of Legal Education.

He described the practice as a form of corruption capable of placing pressure on the country’s legal education system.

“It is an act of corruption for any university to deliberately exceed its quota for law students admission,” he warned.

In his goodwill message, Executive Secretary of the NUC, Abdullahi Ribadu, stressed the importance of universities in shaping ethical behaviour and sustaining value reorientation among young Nigerians.

Represented by Malam Lawal Farouk, Ribadu said corruption weakens institutions, erodes trust and slows national development, making continuous civic and ethical education necessary.

“University education goes beyond acquiring certificates and professional knowledge. It is also about shaping the character and civic responsibilities of students and all members of the university community,” he said.

He noted that universities remain critical platforms for influencing behavioural change because they engage students during formative stages of their lives.

According to him, the NUC’s Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) for law programmes already incorporates values such as justice, honesty, fairness, integrity, professionalism and respect for the rule of law.