The Independent Corrupt Practices Commissions (ICPC) Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has reiterated his view that “stealing is not corruption.”
Speaking to a team of The Nation on Sunday in Lagos at the weekend, Nta explained that his commission would fare better if there was a proper understanding of the word corruption.
According to him, the controversy emanating from the definition of corruption is as a result of a long entrenched misunderstanding of the vice.
“If you don’t know what you are fighting then you might be busy fighting other things and thinking you are addressing the problem,” he stated.
The ICPC chairman, who has been criticised in the media for saying “stealing is not corruption”, stated that from the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (ONCAC) and the ICPC Act, the first item that falls under corrupt practices is bribery in public and private offices.
He backed up his views with Articles 15 and 16 of UNCAC and sections 8, 9 and 10 of the ICPC Act.
He listed what is considered as corruption under Article 19 of UNCAC and Section 19 of the ICPC Act as: illicit enrichment, trading in influence etc.
Explaining what he calls  constitutes corruption, the ICPC chairman said: “If I walk into your office and I say that I have been sent by the president that this contact you are about to award must be awarded to me and now drop his card or the president’s card on the table. This is also an offence under corrupt practice.”
Nta reiterated that the major function of the ICPC is to check abuse of office by public office holders and government officials.
Stealing, he said, falls under the criminal code and should be reported to the police.
He added that Nigeria cannot operate in isolation of the international definition of what constitutes corruption.
Nta argued that if the Commission spends all its time chasing cases of stealing, it will be will be embarking on a futile operation and failing in its primary duties.

http://thenationonlineng.net/corruption-different-stealing-icpc-boss/#top


Lalasticlala

Zombies can never understand this, all the want is for EFCC to arrest someone, release imaginary stolen figures for them to circulate in social media, then hold the suspect while looking for evidence to support the figures earlier released.

That is fighting corruption, while someone is abusing his office somewhere without care

was he born in the same month with the other man?

I wonder why public officials in this country love to entangle themselves in a morass of meaninglessness. The ICPC Chairman should not continue to labour over this issue in public. Such technicalities should rest in the courtroom or tribunal or seminar.

Morally speaking, the proposition that "stealing is not corruption" is intuitively offensive to many Nigerians. But even that is beside the point, because every form of corruption steals from others one thing or the other: an opportunity, an advantage, a position, dignity, justice, livelihood, etc.

"Stealing" can be different from corruption.

Consider these Scenarios

1. A government official is driving on the road with his convoy and escorts; with their sirens and unruly nature, they bully other road users out of the way and even damage their vehicles.

That IS CORRUPTION even though it is not stealing!


2. A government official dips into his department's budget and diverts one billion naira to his own account.

That is STEALING; it should not be dignified with the nicer word "corruption" - (though technically, it can also be called corruption).


3. A clerk in a government office demands egunje/gratuity/'PR' of 2000 naira before releasing a form to a member of the public who needs it.

That IS corruption --- but not quite stealing.


4. A person goes to an airport or government office; he offers a 'gift' or really bribe of 5,000 naira to officials so that he can do/get something he is not lawfully entitled to.

That is CORRUPTION ---- even though it is not stealing.


5. A male university lecturer pressurises a female student into sexual relationship with the threat of failing her.

That is CORRUPTION ---- though it is not stealing.


6. A student offers a gift or bribe to a lecturer ---- so as to get better marks or even exam questions.

That is CORRUPTION even though it is not stealing.


7. A state governor collects security vote from federal allocation and diverts it into his own account for personal use.

That is STEALING and is really only dignified by the word "corruption"; the governor is a thief or "stealer" not merely corrupt.


So you see, when understood properly, the statement that "ordinary stealing, they are calling it corruption" is actually correct!

Nigerians are impervious to learning. Forget about teaching them, GEJ could not teach them either.

mykl01:
Nigerians are impervious to learning. Forget about teaching them, GEJ could not teach them either.

This is true. Nigerians are neanderthals. What else can you use to explain willingly voting in an ex-dictator with a horrible service record as HOS?

It is like they couldn't understand democracy or diplomacy, so they got rid of the only President who attempted to be fair and brought in another dictator to rule them with iron fist. Now there will be no more free and fair federal elections. Congratulations!

SMH foolish people