The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has given Nigeria a pass mark in the fight against corruption, adding that the battle can  also be fought with international co-operation.

Jennifer Bradford, UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer said this, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Bradford spoke at the opening of a three-day visit for the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Peer Review of Nigeria by Myanmar and Côte D’ Ivoire.

She said the fight against corruption was not a one-off event, adding that it was only with continuous efforts and determination that it could be won.

“The fight against corruption takes a lot of efforts and it is not a fight that can be fought and won in one day.

“The fight also needs collaboration and joint efforts both nationally and internationally because no country can do it alone”, she said.

National Focal Person for UNCAC in Nigeria, Mr. Tukur Modibbo, told newsmen that after the review process, the United Nations would evolve a certain set of recommendations for Nigeria.

He said experience had shown that such recommendations may require amendment of the national laws or enacting new laws by the National Assembly to further enhance the process.

According to him, this is with the aim of tightening areas were there may be corruption leakages in order to make the laws water-tight and difficult for persons to perpetrate corruption or escape punishment when caught.

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Modibbo added that although the United Nations was spearheading the process, it was Côte D’ Ivoire and Myammar that were leading the review of Nigeria.

“After this process, Nigeria will also go out and review a West-African country and one other country in another continent still under the tutelage of the United Nations”, he said.

He explained that the process comprised a single cycle of 10 years and Nigeria had in phase one which terminated in 2016, mainly reviewed law enforcement and criminalisation of corruption and international co-operation.

He said the present review was the second phase which would target preventive measures and asset recovery.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the two chapters under review were key areas of focus for the present administration.

“The two chapters under review in this cycle – chapter two and five which deal with preventive measures and asset recovery are key areas of focus of the current administration as it remains committed to the fight against corruption.

“Without pre-empting this process, this government has undertaken preventive measures against corrupt practices and has put a lot of efforts in the recovery of looted, carted and stashed asset both home and abroad.

Malami, who is also the Minister of Justice maintained that in the fight against corruption, Nigeria had put in place various policies with a view to ensuring sanity in every sector. (NAN)