Effective management of information crucial in anti-graft war, according to ICPC chairman

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The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Musa Aliyu, SAN, has said that responsible data handling is inseparable from the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, stressing that public trust depends not only on the Commission’s ability to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences, but also on its capacity to protect personal information entrusted to it.

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According to a statement released and posted on the agency’s website on Saturday, the chairman stated this while declaring open a One-Day Sensitisation and Awareness Programme on Data Protection and Privacy for officers and staff of the Commission held at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja.

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The programme, themed “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” was organised to deepen awareness of responsible data management and strengthen a culture of accountability across the Commission.

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Represented by the Director, Legal Services Department, Mr Henry Emore, Aliyu noted that the Commission receives, processes, analyses, stores, shares and retains enormous volumes of information in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities, much of which relates to petitioners, suspects, witnesses, complainants, employees, contractors, consultants and members of the public.

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“Every personal record in the Commission’s custody represents an individual’s dignity, privacy and trust, making it imperative for officers to ensure that such information is handled lawfully, responsibly and securely.

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“He explained that while data has become one of the most valuable assets in modern governance, enhancing decision-making, service delivery and investigations, its mishandling could expose individuals to harm, compromise investigations, undermine public confidence and damage institutional reputation.

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“The ICPC Chairman further stated that data protection is no longer the exclusive responsibility of ICT professionals or legal practitioners but has become an essential element of good governance, transparency, accountability and institutional integrity”, the statement partly read.

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Emphasising that responsible data handling is integral to the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, Aliyu urged officers to “demonstrate integrity in the collection, access, use, disclosure, storage and disposal of personal information, noting that the principles of accountability, fairness, confidentiality and respect for individual rights must guide every aspect of the Commission’s operations.”

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He disclosed that the Commission has continued to strengthen its internal data protection governance framework through the establishment of the Data Protection and Incident Response Team (DPIRT), comprising officers drawn from various departments and units to identify compliance gaps, promote awareness, improve internal processes, strengthen incident response mechanisms and embed privacy considerations into operational activities.

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The statement added that the event featured two paper presentations titled “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” delivered by Mr. Inelegwu Egahi, and “The ICPC–NDPC Collaboration: Leveraging ICPC’s Institutional Mandate to Strengthen Data Protection Compliance in the Public Sector,” presented by a Nigeria Data Protection Commission official, Barr. Babatunde Bamigboye.

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