BRIEF ON THE CENTRE FOR INTEGRITY AND ANTI-

CORRUPTION STUDIES

Your directive on the aforementioned subject matter refers.

We forward herewith in hard and soft copy, a brief on the activities and achievements of the Centre for Integrity and Anti-Corruption Studies since its inception in 2021.

The centre has successfully accomplished the following

1. ANTI-CORRUPTION SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP (FEBRUARY 24,2022

This was a maiden project of the Centre for Integrity and Anti-Corruption Studies of the Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, in collaboration with a key Federal Government’s Parastatal “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja, Nigeria.” It was a one-day sensitization workshop on the theme: “Downgrading Corruption in the university system.” The one-day sensitization workshop was held on Thursday, 24 February 2022 at the 750-seater Capacity Hall, Academic Zone, Site III of the University. The prime target audience was drawn from members of the university community comprising the university’s management, academic and non-academic staff, Students’ Union Executives and students while also accommodating other members of the larger university environment. Three key thought-provoking and policy-oriented presentations were expertly delivered by select anti-corruption professionals from the EFCC with a view to; 

• Re-awaken participants of the necessity of upholding high moral integrity as a member of the university community and the larger society
• Arouse participants’ awareness of the workings and efficacy of statutory Anti-Corruption institutions in contemporary Nigeria
• Simulate participants on possible avenues through which corruption activities in the university system can be perpetuated and how to address and block them

The presentation modules and their facilitators are:

• “Integrity as a core value of success of Professionals” -Barr. Johnson Eze
• “The EFCC and its activities in Nigerian Universities” -  Mr.Bello Attahir
• “Corruption avenues available in the University System and how to block them” - Miss Chidinma  E. Amanmbu ( Head Media Unit, EFCC Academy, Abuja)

The workshop was organized during the peak of the universities workers’ national strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU) yet it was well attended by a cream of academic and non-academic staff. A copy of the attendance list at the workshop is attached here.  (However, not all attendees enlisted in the attendance register due to the fear of intimidation by union officials created by the strike action that was ongoing at the time of the workshop).

The programme was well covered and reported in the media. A media report by a national television station curled out from the national news airing of Sunday 27, February 2022 is contained in the CD herewith accompanied in this report.

1. FRESHER’S ORIENTATION PROGRAMME OF THE DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA

The Centre for Integrity and Anti-Corruption Studies also participated and made a robust presentation on the topic Integrity &Economic Crimes on the University Campus.” It is one of the Centre’s Students’ Orientation Lecture Series packaged in furtherance of its core responsibility to drive integrity into the newcomers (freshmen/women) into the university academic community. There were over three thousand freshmen and women of the university who attended this orientation programme organized by the office of the Dean of Students of this university in the 2022 slot of the programme. This number increases by the year with fresh students’ admissions growing. The intense audience population created an overflow of students after the university’s 1000-seater capacity hall had been fully filled leading to the provision of extension facilities to accommodate the overflow. The presentation of the Centre was professionally made by the Director of the Centre, Professor Franklins Sanubi and it was a huge success highly acknowledged by participants at the programme. 

       2. TWO-DAY FLAG-OFF AND CRIME PREVENTION WORKSHOP ORGANIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA, 2-3 AUGUST, 2022

The 2-day programme was an initiative proposed by the International Human Rights Commission, (IHRC) Zurich, Switzerland through their Nigerian Central Office, Abuja for Tertiary institutions in Nigeria and supported by the Delta State University, Abraka. 

The aim is to promote cooperation among stakeholders in the fight against Crime and other anti-social behaviour among youths especially in the university system and, to sensitize youths on crime prevention strategies through strong advocacy against crime and illicit behaviour including drug addiction, and abuse among others. It was a collaboration project targeted at Delta State University, Abraka students and anchored by the Centre for Integrity and Anti-Corruption Studies.

The first day of the programme the Flag-Off ceremony held on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. It was a brief ceremony of short speeches for a select audience which was preceded by a keynote address and opening by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Andy O. Egunyenga at 11.45 am. The address of the Secretary–General of the IHRC, Prof. H.C. Rafal Marcin Wasik was read on his behalf by Comrade Fortune Afon of the IHRC Nigerian Central Office, Abuja. Other stakeholders who spoke at the occasion were the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali (through his representative and DPO Abraka Divisional Headquarters, SP Fabian Ayameh); the Delta State Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Commander John Tunde, Esq.; the Chairman of the Delta State Police Community Relations Committee, Mr. Oliver Eyefia and the IHRC Regional Coordinator for the South-South, Mr Fidelis Onakpoma. The day climaxed with the official Flag off of the Campaign and the presentation of the IHRC Crime Prevention Framework to the Vice Chancellor( this was received on his behalf by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of administration, Prof. Rosemary N Okoh). Stakeholders in attendance at the brief ceremony include HRM the Ovie of Umiaghwa Abraka Kingdom represented by Chief Friday Iniomesa JP, Religious Leaders and Head of the University Chaplaincy Rev. Fr. (Dr.) James Urien (St. Paul’s Chapel) and the Head of Abraka Anti-Cult Group Mr. Ali Godwin. Senior Management and Academic staff present at the ceremony were the Deputy Vice Chancellors, Prof. Rosemary  N. Okoh (Administration), and Prof. Ochuko Anomoharan (Academics), Provost, Oleh Campus, Prof. Elo Ibagere; Dean, Post-graduate School, Prof. Temi Akporhonor; Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof. E. Kpangban. Others are the Director of, the Institute of Education, Prof. C.N Ikeoji, Director, of Ceremonials, Prof. B. Nwanne, Director, of the Examination Centre, Prof. Edmund Atakpo, Director of, Centre for Research and International Programmes, Prof. G. E. Akpojotor, Head of Department Human Kinetics, Recreation & Sports Science,  Prof Ochuko Nabofa; Head of Department  Chemistry, Prof. (Mrs.) P.O. Agbaire; and Prof. N.E.Akpotu, among others. The University Public Relations Officer, Mr. Eddy Agbure directed the programme at the occasion. The President of the Students’ union, Comrade Cyprian was present with some of his EXCO members on both days.The Flag off ceremony was preceded by a brief courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor by the team from the International Human Rights Commission which was held in the Vice Chancellor’s Conference Room at 10am. The courtesy call was capped by a group photograph comprising the Vice Chancellor, his Management team and the IHRC team.

The second day, Wednesday, 3rd August, 2022 was the “Crime Prevention Education Workshop” proper. This was a three-hour interactive session of technical paper presentations that are premised on “Crime Prevention” among youths in the university system. Over three hundred (300) students drawn from all faculties of the university participated in this interactive session which also involved some members of academic staff and heads of departments. Four technical papers were presented during this session as follows:

1. “Crime Prevention Education and Anti-Social Behaviour” by Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Ari Muhammed Ali
2. “Crime Prevention Education & Anti-Social Behaviour in Tertiary Institutions” by Delta State NDLEA Commander Cn. John Tunde Esq.
3. “The Role of Education in Managing Anti-Social Behaviour” by IHRC Regional Coordinator Comrade Fidelis Onakpoma
4. “Integrity and Economic Crimes in the University Campus” PowerPoint Presentation by Director, Centre for Integrity & Anti-Corruption Studies, Professor Franklins A. Sanubi

These papers were well discussed and students were actively and very excitedly involved in the interactive session. Series of questions were asked and the panelist of discussants was handy to provide solutions to some of the issues raised by the students. The quality of mutual participation between the presenters and the student audience was very high.

1. ONE DAY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON YOUTH, RELIGION AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION, ABUJA, JANUARY 31, 2024

The Director represented the Vice Chancellor in programme:

AIM OF THE CONFERENCE: To create awareness of key stakeholders and the public on the renewed determinism of the new Executive Management of the EFCC under the leadership of Mr. Ola Olukoyede to fight corruption in the country at all fronts with the day’s event focusing on youth and religion.

NATURE OF THE CONFERENCE; It was a two-part conference comprising 

1. Speeches, addresses and goodwill messages from key stakeholders
2. A keynote address by Dr. John Momoh, O.O.N, Chairman and CEO of Channels Media Group followed by a five-man Panel Discussion moderated by Mr .BabatundeFashola,SAN,  Former Minister of Works and Housing . The Panel discussion was followed by a Question & Answer session.

Among the key stakeholders who spoke at the conference are the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, CGFR, represented at the event by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCFR, The Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede and seven (7) other selected personalities representing key interest groups of the Nigerian public each of which delivered a goodwill message. These are Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney -General of the Federation, Archbishop Daniel Okoh ( the CAN President), the Sultan of Sokoto, the Ooni of Ife, the Obi of Onitsha the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Chairperson of Committee of Vice Chancellors ,Professor Lilian Salami, VC UniBen , who delivered the goodwill message on behalf of the Universities.

AUDIENCE COMPOSITION:  This comprised of about 2000 persons drawn from various sections of the Nigerian public involving Ministers, Legislators, several Vice Chancellors, Traditional rulers, Religious Clerics, Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs), NGOs, Students and staff of other organizations who were invited to the event. It was a fully-packed Musa  Yar AduaCentre conference hall with two-layer seating chambers. 

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FORM THE SPEECHES/ PANEL DISCUSSION: 

• Of the 2, 657 petitions received and accepted by the Commission since the new Executive Chairman came on board in October, 2023, it has secured 747 convictions. (The Commission had received a total of 3, 325 petitions in all but only 2, 657 were accepted by it as genuine). 
• Over 60% of current prosecutions and convictions of the EFCC is on youths involved in various sorts of cybercrimes at a pace that has reached alarming proportion. 
• Religious organizations in the country have been aiding Fraud by sponsoring such transactions with over N30 Billion of laundered money traced to a religious organization (not named at the occasion).
• It costs less to prevent than to prosecute crimes in Nigeria 
• Fighting corruption “at the bottom” (especially among youths) have become challenging because of the alarming growth trend due to the perception of this segment of the society who feels justified by the non-meaningful fight “at the top”. The EFCC pledged to carry the fight to the top beginning with the National Assembly and the MDAs.
• Traditional institutions need to enforce integrity among their subjects and promote practices that abhor corruption at the grassroots.
• Universities are finding it more challenging to enforce rules and regulations on the increasing number of students involved in cybercrimes and related practices because of fear of reprisals from these teeming powerful groups. Lecturers can no longer enforce discipline on these set of people who are relatively more economically powerful on campus.

SIDE FEATURE OF THE CONFERENCE:The Vice President on behalf of the President Bola Tinubu officially 

1. Unveiled and Launched the Interfaith  Preaching and Teaching Manuals – copy of this manual is available in the VC’s reception; and
2. Launched the Fraud Risk Assessment Project for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)

1. LOOKING FORWARDTO THE COMING YEARS:

Regarding the present accomplishment/achievements as foundational, the Centre for integrity and Anti –Corruption Studies intends to 

1. Leverage on our extant robust relationship with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja (EFCC) and the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland to deepen cooperation between the university and the aforementioned institutions in all areas of academic exchange and research.
2. Make its activities in the university more visible by mounting bold unavoidable bill boards on Anti-Corruption in strategic areas of the university with a view to re-orienting all in-comers to the university on the present Anti-Corruption paradigm focus of the present management of the university
3. Complete the on-going process of establishing the DELSU Students Anti- Corruption Corps in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
4. Source for and secure international funding for research in its area of mandate and other programmes of the university.

APPRECIATION:  I wish to sincerely thank our amiable Vice Chancellor, Professor Andy Ogochukwu Egunyenga for giving me this singular opportunity to serve in this capacity.

Thank You.

Professor F. A. Sanubi

Director, Centre for Integrity and Anti-Corruption Studies