ICPC vows to publish recovered assets, disclose owners

By Luminous Jannamike ABUJA – The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has pledged to make public details of recovered assets, including their ownership and current status, in a move aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign. The commitment comes as African countries seek stronger cooperation to track down and recover wealth stolen through corruption and concealed in foreign jurisdictions, while ensuring that recovered resources are properly managed and used for public benefit.

Prince Hassan Mohammed, Director of Special Services at the ICPC and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the maiden General Assembly of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum, AARP-F, gave the assurance at a pre-conference media briefing in Abuja, weekend. Mohammed, however, could not provide figures on the volume of assets recovered in Nigeria when asked whether the commission had compiled data ahead of the continental gathering scheduled for November 17 to 20 at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

On whether the ICPC would periodically disclose recovered assets, their status and ownership details, he said: “Definitely, ICPC will do that. Nothing is hidden. It’s a public document. “Anything recovered is for the public. And so, ICPC will definitely declare anything and whatever has been recovered.” Explaining the rationale behind the African Union-backed initiative, Mohammed said asset recovery had become an integral part of the global fight against corruption, stressing that retrieving stolen wealth was only part of the responsibility.

He said recovered assets must ultimately benefit citizens rather than merely be recorded as successes by anti-corruption agencies. “To be sure, to ensure that what was recovered is put to use for the benefit of the generality of the masses is an aspect of the fight against corruption, which the African Union is advancing,” he said. On whether any African country was ahead of Nigeria in asset recovery, Mohammed said it was difficult to make such comparisons because some countries did not publicly disclose their recoveries.

“Some of these countries recover their assets and you don’t know what they have recovered. We don’t know whether they are doing their recoveries or not,” he said. He said continental engagements such as the Abuja Assembly would provide opportunities for countries to exchange experiences and discuss their respective recovery efforts. In his address, Mohammed said the four-day Assembly would bring together representatives of 54 African countries, alongside international partners and other stakeholders, to strengthen cooperation and develop practical strategies for tackling illicit financial flows.

Established in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2025, the AARP-F provides a continental platform for asset recovery practitioners to advance the implementation of the Common African Position on Asset Recovery, CAPAR. The Assembly, themed, ‘From Commitment to Action – Enhancing Africa’s Asset Recovery Architecture through Effective Implementation of the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CADAR)’, is expected to review progress, address institutional and operational gaps, strengthen cooperation and adopt governance instruments and strategic action plans.

Mohammed said participants would also have opportunities to visit locations in Nigeria to assess how some recovered assets were being put to use. He said the meeting would seek to move beyond policy declarations by developing common approaches to information sharing, mutual legal assistance and collaboration among anti-corruption agencies and other relevant institutions.

He urged the media to sustain public scrutiny of asset recovery efforts beyond the Abuja meeting, describing journalists as important partners in translating technical discussions and policy commitments into information accessible to ordinary Africans. The Assembly is expected to strengthen Africa’s collective capacity to trace, freeze, confiscate, recover and repatriate illicitly acquired assets, while ensuring that recovered resources contribute to the continent’s development.