Whistleblowers smiling to the bank

$151m recovered so far Over 200 actionable tip-offs received

With the introduction of the whistle-blower policy to expose corruption and get paid, Nigerians seem to have embraced it fully, leading to various discoveries of stolen monies and illegally-acquired property. Here’s a look at the phenomenon.

Following the federal government’s pronouncement for rewarding whistle-blowers, the anti-corruption fight has taken a new dimension. Now, it seems, more than ever, Nigerians are willing to be part of the crusade. From December 2016 when the policy was announced to date, there have been positive responses leading to major recoveries of looted funds and illegally acquired property.

The 19-point whistleblower policy was rolled-out through the Federal Ministry of Finance after it was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The policy gives conditions on information about a violation, misconduct or improper activity that impacts negatively on the Nigerian people and government, who is a whistleblower, evidence that can be submitted, confidentiality of the whistle-blower and sanction for individuals and corporate bodies involved in diversion of public funds.

Last week, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement re-emphasized government’s commitment to protect and reward whistle-blowers who provide information that leads to the recovery of stolen funds or assets. According to him, the identity of all whistleblowers, whether in the public or the private sector, will be protected and also ensure that the information they provide is kept secret.

“For those who may have suffered any backlash as a result of the information they provide, their cases will be reviewed and appropriate mitigating actions taken.” The assurance followed reports that the identities of some whistle-blowers might have been compromised. The minister pointed out that whistleblowers have nothing to fear, because the Presidential Assets Recovery Committee has put in place the necessary measures to safeguard those who give useful information. “As a matter of fact, whistle-blowers have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” he said.

As such, the minister further reminded Nigerians of the rewards for any whistle-blower whose information leads to the recovery of looted funds. He said any whistle-blower will receive 5 percent of the amount up to N1 billion, between N1 billion to N5 billion will get 5 percent for the first N1 billion and 4 percent of the remaining N4 billion and that any amount over N5 billion will attract 2.5 percent reward. He said the information was made public to reassure potential whistle-blowers that the plan to reward is real. “We are not just saying we will pay all whistleblowers, but we are letting them know in advance what they are entitled to, once the information they provide leads to the recovery of looted funds,’’ he said.

Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, told

Daily Trust that the Presidency is satisfied with the response of Nigerians on the policy, as since the introduction of the policy, over 1,000 messages have been received across the various available channels, like email, website, SMS and submission of hard copies. These communications have led to over 200 actionable tips ranging from contract inflation, conversion of government assets to personal use, ghost workers on payroll, payment of unapproved funds, non-remittance of pension and his deductions, embezzlement of funds received from donor agencies, embezzlement of funds meant for payment of personnel emoluments, violation of TSA regulations by keeping funds in commercial banks, money laundering and diversion of funds meant for approved projects and diversion of revenue among others. He also said even though the policy is new, the response is impressive.

Shehu said: “With a new system, it takes time for people to build trust and make use of it. Prior to the establishment of the policy by the Federal Government, there had been yearnings from Nigerians and even foreigners for channels through which information can be disclosed directly to the Presidency and other principal officials of the Federal Government. The response to this policy has led to arrests and recovery of funds stolen and stashed away.”

Shehu said that the identity of every whistleblower is protected. “It is sacrosanct and enshrined in the policy. Every whistleblower’s identity is protected within the confines of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he explained.

Presently, $151 million and N8 billion have been recovered through the efforts of whistleblowers since the policy began, from just three who gave actionable information to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.

A statement signed by Segun Adeyemi, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Information, said the biggest amount of $136,676,600.51 was recovered from an account in a commercial bank, where the money was kept under a pseudonym. This was followed by the recovery of N7 billion and $15 million from another person and N1billion from another. Recoveries from a former Group ManagingDirector of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, are not part of this figure. Whatever the case, the juicy figures suggest that whistleblowers are indeed smiling their way to the bank.

There is also the recovery of seventeen posh vehicles in a warehouse belonging to Abdullahi Dikko Inde, a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), along Nnamdi nAzikiwe Street, Kaduna. According to a statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the recovery was sequel to an intelligence report received that stolen money and properties suspected to be proceeds of crime were at the premises. Subsequently, a team of operatives from the Kano Zonal Office were deployed to carry out the investigation and made the stunning discovery.

At Sabon Tasha, in another part of Kaduna, operatives of the EFCC on February 3, recovered $9,772,800 and £74,000 cash at a property belonging to Mr. Andrew Yakubu, a former NNPC boss. The EFCC said the raid was sequel to an intelligence which

the commission received about suspected illegal proceeds believed to be hidden in the Kaduna slum.

Daily Trust reliably gathered that based on these discoveries and guarantees that payment are sure - many people with insight into illegalities are bringing forth information about stolen monies and unlawful acquisition of property. This is encouraged with the creation of channels by the federal government where whistle-blowers can forward information. These include an SMS line, an email address and a portal. Part of the portal states that: “The Federal Government of Nigeria, FMF-Whistle is a secure, online portal through which information bordering on violation of financial regulations, mismanagement of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud and theft that is deemed to be in the interest of the public can be disclosed.”

It was gathered that the whistleblower channels have been inundated with information from various sources, which the Federal Ministry of Finance is verifying. However, Daily Trust leant that amenable whistleblowers are bankers, cronies of personalities, relations and accounts department personnel in ministries, departments and agencies, among others.

However, despite assurances by the federal government, the challenge facing whistleblowers is real. For instance, a staff of the Directorate for Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), Mr.Ntia Thompson, was accused of false whistle-blowing against the agency and was sacked, though the matter had begun before the policy was in force.

The acting Director-General of the Directorate, Mohammed Kachallah, said the officer committed various infractions and was issued queries. He noted that some of the issues included violations of the oath of secrecy, absence from work without leave, refusal to carry out lawful instructions and making false claims against government officials.

Kachallah told Daily Trust that it was these incidents that the management became constrained to report the infractions to the Senior Staff Appointment and Disciplinary Committee of the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on the DTCA for consideration and further necessary action.

On Thompson’s claim of victimization as a result of petition he wrote to the EFCC, Kachallah said no evidence exists on the officer being queried or reprimanded on that ground. But Daily Trust gathered that Thompson had written to the EFCC claiming $229,000 was illegally taken from the coffers of the organisation.

Concerning the allegation of $229,000 fraud, Kachallah said there was no fraud in the agency, pointing out that the amount referred to was $202,296.78 lodged in DTCA domiciliary account with Zenith Bank.

On the petition he wrote to the Inspector General of Police accusing some management staff of intimidation, he said police report indicated that the allegation was false, misleading and defamatory.

However, last week, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan representing Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District, presented a complaint in plenary on the Thompson matter which the Senate referred to the Committee on Ethnics for further action. However, some NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) expressed different views on government’s whistleblower policy. Furthermore, the Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, told Daily

Trust that whistleblowers need protection.

Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, said: “This new initiative will lead to waste of time and resources of the government, as many people will come forth claiming to have information, leading the government on wild goose chases,” she said.

Also, the National Coordinator, Protest to Power Movement (PTPM) and Co-Convener Say No Campaign (SNC), Jaye Gaskia, said the whistle-blowing initiative is a step in the right direction as it should be welcomed and faithfully implemented.

Barrister Frank Tietie of the Citizens Advocacy for Social for Social and Economic Rights, (CASER), said as of yet there is no law backing the whistleblower policy, adding that based on that, all the actions related to that present illegality.

Besides, Barrister Daniel Bwala, Abuja lawyer and Law lecturer, said it is illegal for federal government to give out money to individuals or institutions without appropriation as whistleblower benefit.

Before approval, the bill enjoyed the support of the Senate, as presented by Senator Kabiru Gaya, representing Kano South Senatorial District. The initial draft bill was divided into seven parts. Part I, which is the preliminary part, is an interpretative section of the law. Part II deals with protective disclosures which details disclosure of impropriety, persons qualified to make disclosures, persons to whom and institutions to which disclosures of impropriety must be made and compulsory receipt of disclosures. Part III is on procedure for disclosure and reduction of disclosures into writing.

Part IV of the bill deals with action to be taken by persons who receive disclosures of impropriety. Part V deals with protection of whistleblowers and other details such as state protection, protection from victimization, court action and others.

Part VI lists offences under the Act such as: disclosing the identity of a whistleblower, disclosing details of disclosure, victimization of a whistleblower, and making false disclosures. Part VII is on the miscellaneous aspects of the Act such as failure to take action on disclosure, recoveries from whistleblowers and funding of the office of whistleblowers’ protection and annual returns to the National Assembly’s House and Senate Committees on Whistleblowers’ Protection.

Section 19 of Part VII deals which recoveries, rewards and funding of the office of the whistleblower has some interesting sub sections. Subsection 3 reads: “A whistleblower shall be paid within thirty days after the receipt of funds premised by his or her whistle-blowing from the Attorney General’s office.”

No matter how varying the reactions from all quarters are, or where their support leans to, the very concept of whistleblowing for a handsome reward is intriguing to Nigerians of all walks of life. Status updates, tweets, viral memes and more dominated the internet, and continue to do so. As it develops further, it remains to be seen if more whistles will be blown, translating into more people smiling to the bank.

Presently, $151 million and N8 billion have been recovered through the efforts of whistleblowers since the policy began, from just three who gave actionable information to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.