The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) says it has received 406 petitions on corruption-related cases from its commencement in April 2021 till date.
OYACA Chairman, Justice Eni Esan, disclosed this in Ibadan on Monday at a news conference and lecture to commemorate the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day.
Esan, a retired judge, said the petitions, from government departments, institutions and individuals, were on corruption practices and administrative actions.
She, however, said over 204 cases had been thoroughly investigated and concluded, while 13 persons were already facing trials in court.
The chairman said investigations were ongoing on 202 other cases, while the agency had secured convictions of some civil servants engaged in varying corrupt practices.
“A number of civil servants are standing trial in court for infractions of OYACA laws and the cases are at various stages of trial.
“The agency has been able to recover huge amounts of money from corrupt contractors, engaged by government departments, but who failed to perform the contracts as expected,” she said.
She called for the collaborative efforts of residents, government officials, the youth and the media, including the private and public sectors, to develop the state and Nigeria by fighting corruption.
The retired judge said the agency would continue to enlighten the citizens on the effects of corruption and the roles they must play in fighting corruption.
In his lecture, Prof. Samuel Awobode, Oyo State Chairman, Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigator of Nigeria, says fighting corruption requires a multifaceted approach.
Awobode identified the youths as the most vulnerable to corruption because they could easily be deceived.
He, therefore, said youth engagement was crucial in the anti-corruption fight because they possessed societal strength and innovation to drive the required change.
