By Caleb Ayansina

ABUJA – The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has resolved to enlist the participation of the Nigerian youth to rid the nation of corruption.

The Chairman of the ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta said this would in the process give students, especially in tertiary institutions, a voice in the war against graft.

Nta disclosed this during a meeting with the Senate of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) held in Abuja. Represented by an Executive member in ICPC, Professor Olu Aina, the chairman said the ICPC strongly believed that the students should be a veritable partner in the anti-corruption war.

Consequently, he said “the ICPC therefore concluded plans to mobilize Nigerian youths from all over the country, for the purpose of enlightening, educating and conscientising them on the ills of corruption and empowering them to own the fight in collaboration with its technical partners notably the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) UNDP, DFID, Supervisory and Development Agencies of Government in the Tertiary Education Sector, Anti-Corruption Agencies and the National Orientation Agency NOA.”

The ICPC, he said decided to bring in NANS from the point of organizing and planning of the conference so as to make it a youth affair from the very beginning.

Responding, the NANS President, Mr Usman lauded the initiative of the Commission as being proactive and informed the Planning Committee that the Association was willing to partner with the ICPC in organizing the Conference and in the fight to neutralize corruption.