From ICPC To FSI: Ese Okwong Champions Community-Centred Anti-Corruption Framework

Mrs. Ese Miriam Okwong, a Deputy Director in the Planning, Research and Statistics Department of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has been inducted as a Fellow of the Security Institute of Nigeria (FSI).

The induction followed her successful completion of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC 18) at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Bwari, Abuja, from which she graduated on December 6, 2025.

Reflecting on the ten-month intensive programme, Mrs. Okwong described the experience as a significant career milestone that provided advanced exposure to leadership, intelligence, and security management. She noted that the training has strengthened her commitment to the anti-corruption fight and enhanced her capacity for strategic networking, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency collaboration.

Mrs. Okwong, who joined the ICPC in 2002 as a pioneer staff member, has steadily risen through the ranks to her current position, which qualified her for the executive-level training.

She is known for promoting a preventive and community-focused approach to addressing Nigeria’s evolving security and corruption challenges.

According to her, combating corruption requires addressing its root causes through the active involvement of non-state actors such as civil society organisations, community groups, traditional institutions, and the media.

This approach formed the core of her research thesis at the NISS, which examined the ICPC’s community-centred advocacy model. The study emphasised the need for collective ownership of the anti-corruption fight, involving government institutions, the private sector, and citizens. Key recommendations from the research included sustained stakeholder engagement, stronger political will, judicial reforms, and the deployment of advanced technology to promote transparency and accountability.

In addition to the executive course, Mrs. Okwong concurrently undertook a Master’s degree in Peace and Security Studies, affiliated with the University of Ilorin, an academic pursuit she described as demanding but highly transformative.

Advising aspiring security professionals, she stressed the importance of critical thinking, continuous learning, and the effective use of technology. She also urged ICPC officers to remain steadfast in upholding the Commission’s core values of professionalism, integrity, and tenacity.

Looking ahead, Mrs. Okwong reaffirmed her readiness to further support the ICPC’s preventive mandate through policy advocacy, coalition-building, community engagement, and mentoring the next generation of anti-corruption and security professionals.