The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reiterated its commitment to tackling the root causes of corruption, which it says contribute to poverty, unemployment, economic stagnation and underdevelopment.

The commission stated this during a familiarisation visit to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) head office in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Tuesday.

The ICPC Commissioner for Borno and Yobe states, Linus Gubbi, said the engagement was aimed at strengthening communication and establishing a coordinated partnership to identify and address corruption risks, supply chain leakages and fraudulent practices that threaten humanitarian interventions in the North-East.

Gubbi commended UN OCHA for its role in coordinating life-saving humanitarian assistance and mobilising resources to support millions of vulnerable people affected by conflict across the region.

He explained that the proposed partnership would provide opportunities for capacity building, information sharing, secure reporting of suspected corruption and prompt action whenever misconduct is identified.

According to him, UN OCHA could benefit from specialised anti-corruption training for humanitarian personnel and local partners, early access to information on suspected diversion or misuse of humanitarian resources, secure reporting channels and technical support to strengthen internal control systems.

He added that effective collaboration between the two organisations would help protect humanitarian resources and ensure that assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries.

In her remarks, the Head of Office of UN OCHA in Maiduguri, Patricia Mucheche, described the engagement as timely, stressing the importance of adherence to established guidelines, accountability procedures and confidentiality safeguards in reporting suspected misconduct.

Mucheche said clear reporting mechanisms and effective information sharing would strengthen stakeholder confidence and promote the responsible management of humanitarian resources.

She emphasised that accountability and transparency were essential to sustaining public trust and ensuring that humanitarian assistance achieved its intended purpose.

The engagement is expected to strengthen cooperation between the ICPC and UN OCHA in promoting transparency, preventing the diversion of humanitarian resources and improving the delivery of assistance to vulnerable communities across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and the wider Lake Chad region.