BEING THE SPEECH BY THE COMMANDANT GENERAL, VIGILANTE GROUP OF NIGERIA, DR JAMES UDOMA, AT AN INTERACTIVE MEETING WITH THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION, DR MUSA ADAMU ALIYU, SAN, AT THE ICPC CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA, ON OCTOBER 6, 2026

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN; distinguished members of the Commission; senior officers of the ICPC; gentlemen of the Press; and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, I am deeply honoured to lead this delegation to the corporate headquarters of the ICPC.

We have come not merely on a courtesy visit but with a clear proposition for a structured partnership between two institutions whose responsibilities, though different, converge at one critical point: the protection of the Nigerian people and the defence of the integrity of our national institutions. The ICPC carries a statutory mandate covering investigation, prosecution, prevention and public education against corruption, while the VGN operates at the community level, where information, early warning, local knowledge and public confidence are often the first lines of defence.

The VGN believes that modern security can no longer be built exclusively around physical presence and conventional enforcement. Intelligence is now one of the most important currencies of national security. Communities know their environments; they know unusual movements, suspicious transactions, emerging criminal networks and individuals whose activities may constitute threats to public safety.

What is required is not indiscriminate reporting but disciplined intelligence gathering, verification, documentation and lawful transmission of relevant information to the appropriate authorities. This is where we see an important area of cooperation with the ICPC. Our proposal is that VGN personnel should be properly trained to understand the difference between information, intelligence, allegations and evidence, and should know when, where and how information relating to suspected corrupt practices should be reported.

We therefore propose the establishment of VGN Liaison Desks in ICPC formations and offices across the country, subject, of course, to the Commission’s approval and operational requirements. These desks would provide an identifiable channel through which authorised VGN representatives could interface with designated ICPC officers.

The objective is not to create parallel investigative structures or to confer powers that the law does not provide. Rather, it is to establish a disciplined mechanism for cooperation, information sharing, referrals, feedback and rapid communication. Such a structure would also reduce the danger of important community information being lost because citizens or community security personnel do not know the appropriate institution or officer to approach.

The experience of the ICPC itself demonstrates the value of institutional liaison mechanisms. The Commission’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units, established in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, are designed to complement the Commission’s work in monitoring, reporting and preventing corruption. The ICPC states that such units have been established in more than 445 MDAs, while the Commission also uses designated desk officers and training to strengthen their effectiveness. We believe that the same principle of structured liaison can be adapted, where appropriate, to the relationship between the ICPC and the VGN. A formal VGN desk arrangement would give community-based security personnel a recognised pathway into the national anti-corruption architecture while preserving the ICPC’s statutory authority.

The second pillar of our proposed partnership is capacity building. We respectfully request that the ICPC consider developing periodic specialised training programmes for selected VGN personnel. Such training could cover anti-corruption laws, ethical conduct, intelligence gathering and reporting, evidence preservation, whistleblowing procedures, human rights, confidentiality, conflict of interest, financial crimes awareness and the appropriate handling of allegations. The ICPC already recognises training as an important instrument for strengthening anti-corruption structures, including its training programmes for ACTU personnel. We would therefore welcome the opportunity for VGN personnel to benefit from the Commission’s expertise through workshops, seminars, training-the-trainer programmes and state-level sensitisation exercises.

We also seek a deliberate programme of ethics, integrity and anti-corruption education for VGN personnel nationwide. The size and geographical spread of a community security organisation make continuous education particularly important. Every VGN member must understand that wearing a security uniform is not a licence to exercise arbitrary power. It carries responsibility, restraint and accountability. Our personnel must understand that soliciting money, demanding gratification, abusing access to information, interfering in lawful investigations, protecting criminal interests or using one’s position for personal advantage is incompatible with the responsibilities of a professional security organisation. The National Ethics and Integrity Policy identifies values including personal responsibility, integrity, professionalism, patriotism and national unity as central principles for public life.

We are equally interested in receiving from the ICPC a structured Code of Conduct and anti-corruption enlightenment package that can be adapted for VGN formations across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Such a programme should not be a one-off lecture.

We envisage regular sensitisation, printed guidance materials, periodic assessments, leadership briefings and mechanisms for reporting misconduct. The objective is to build an organisational culture in which integrity is not merely demanded from personnel but becomes part of their daily professional conduct. The VGN leadership is prepared to support internal disciplinary measures where members violate established rules, while ensuring that allegations are handled fairly and referred to the appropriate authorities where necessary.

There is also a significant opportunity for collaboration in community enlightenment and public mobilisation. The ICPC’s statutory responsibilities expressly include educating the public against corruption and enlisting public support in combating corrupt practices. The VGN can complement this responsibility through its extensive grassroots presence. Working together, our organisations could conduct town hall meetings, community sensitisation programmes, youth engagements, market and transport community outreach, traditional institution engagements and public awareness campaigns.

The message would be simple and consistent: corruption is not an abstract crime committed only in government offices; it can occur wherever public trust, official authority or private resources are abused.

However, let me make one point very clear: collaboration must never mean interference. The VGN does not seek to investigate corruption cases on behalf of the ICPC, prosecute suspects or usurp the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of established law enforcement institutions. Our proposal is for cooperation within the law. VGN personnel should gather and transmit relevant information responsibly, while the ICPC should determine the appropriate investigative and legal response. Where intelligence is supplied, it should be properly documented, assessed and handled according to established procedures.

This distinction is fundamental because an effective partnership must strengthen the law, not create another layer of confusion around it.

Finally, Mr Chairman, sir, we believe that the proposed partnership can become a practical model of inter-agency cooperation. We propose that our two organisations establish a joint working framework covering liaison desks, designated contact officers, intelligence-sharing protocols, training programmes, anti-corruption and ethics education, community sensitisation and periodic review meetings. We would be honoured if the ICPC leadership would nominate appropriate officers to work with the VGN leadership in developing the framework. Our commitment is to diligence, professionalism, confidentiality, accountability and service to Nigeria.

The VGN is ready to contribute its community reach and security intelligence capabilities while learning from the institutional expertise of the ICPC. Together, within the limits of the law and with the welfare of Nigerians as our guiding principle, we can build a stronger bridge between community intelligence and formal anti-corruption enforcement. A safer Nigeria must also be a Nigeria in which integrity, accountability and respect for the law are defended at every level.

I thank you all for your attention.