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Nigeria has become the 53rd country to sign the UN agreement on the International Anti-Corruption Academy.

IACA is an
UN-related body set up as the focal point for international
co-operation and co-ordination in the fight against corruption.

The Europe
correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Attorney
General and the Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, signed the
agreement on behalf of the Federal Government in Vienna.

A statement from
the Nigeria’s permanent mission in Vienna and made available to NAN in
London, quoted Mr. Adoke as saying that the agreement was an evidence
of Nigeria’s commitment to the attainment of zero tolerance for
corruption.

“Although Nigeria
had established an effective institution such as the EFCC in the fight
against corruption, Nigeria will take advantage of the opportunities
presented by the Academy as a centre of training and academic
research,” the minister said.

Also, the chairman
of IACA International Steering Committee, Martin Kreutner, who signed
on behalf of the Academy, said he was delighted with Nigeria’s
membership. He said the Academy would support Nigeria in its fight
against corruption.

NAN reports that
the mandate of IACA includes anti-corruption research, education and
training, and provision of relevant technical assistance in the fight
against corruption.

The IACA has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

The signing is
coming few days after the country witnessed series of bomb blasts in
both Jos and Abuja, its Federal Capital Territory.

On Christmas eve,
December 24, 2010 in Jos, the Plateau State capital, about seven bombs
exploded and killed over 80 people and injured about 150.

On New Year eve, a
bomb exploded in an army barracks in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city,
killing and injuring many, including women and children. The bomb is
reported to have gone off at around 7.00pm in the area of the barracks
locally known as mammy market.

NAN