The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, has called on Nigerian lawyers to recommit to ethical practice and take a front-line role in the fight against corruption.
Aliyu made this charge while delivering a goodwill message at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch Annual Law Conference 2025 held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, with the theme “Reimagining the Practice of Law: Ethics, Innovation and the Future of Legal Services,”.
He expressed concern over the growing ethical crisis in the legal profession, citing instances of professional misconduct, delay tactics in Court processes, and the misuse of legal procedures to frustrate anti-corruption efforts.
According to him, some legal practitioners persist in filing suits challenging the Supreme Court’s decision on the ICPC’s powers of investigation, actions he described as detrimental to the image of the legal profession.
“Lawyers are not just advocates; they are the gatekeepers of justice,”
“Sadly, some have chosen to become facilitators in obstructing justice. The ICPC sees this and calls for a collective recommitment to integrity.” Aliyu said.
Speaking on the growing influence of legal technology, the ICPC boss acknowledged the role of innovation in transforming legal services, but warned against the risk of ethical lapses in the unregulated use of technology.
Aliyu, at the Conference, which brought together leading voices in the legal profession to reflect on the future of law in Nigeria, emphasized the need for legal innovation to be guided by principles of fairness, confidentiality, and justice.
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The ICPC Chairman also urged lawyers to support whistleblowers, whom he described as “civic heroes” in the anti-corruption struggle. He advocated for stronger legal protection for whistleblowers and emphasized the role of lawyers in defending their rights.
He further called for reforms in legal education, stressing the importance of integrating ethics, digital literacy, and public interest law into the curriculum, disclosing that the ICPC was engaging with stakeholders to introduce anti-corruption modules in the Nigerian Law School and university law faculties.
Aliyu challenged lawyers to go beyond their client briefs and embrace their role as nation-builders. “As we reimagine the future of law, let us also reimagine the lawyer—not just as a professional, but as a patriot,”. “Together, we can restore dignity to the practice of law and reaffirm its place in the fight against corruption and injustice.”
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
