Whistle-blowing policy: We’ve recovered N527bn, $53m, £122,88, says EFCC boss

The acting Chairman , Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , Ibrahim Magu , on Thursday said the agency had recovered over N 527bn , $ 53m and £ 122,89 through the whistle - blowing policy initiated by the Federal Government in December 2016 .

Speaking in Port Harcourt during a town hall meeting on whistle -blowing and the fight against corruption in Nigeria , Magu stated that as of May last year, the commission had recovered the sums after members of the public reported corrupt persons with ill- gotten money .

Magu explained that the policy had created avenue for patriotic Nigerians to report criminal acts , which were inimical to the growth and development of the country.

He said, “ As at May 2018 , we recovered over N 527bn , $ 53m and £ 122,89 through the whistle -blowing policy. More successes are being made and the response by members of the public to the policy has been very encouraging .

“ The government ’s whistle -blowing policy, which was introduced in 2016 , is geared towards fraud detection, tracking and reporting to appropriate agencies and to enable patriotic citizens to report criminal acts such as mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets , like properties and vehicles; financial malpractice or fraud ; collecting/ soliciting bribes ; corruption; diversion of revenues ; unapproved payments ; splitting of contracts ; procurement fraud ; kickbacks and over -invoicing. ”

Represented by Usman Mukhtar , a top official of the anti - graft agency , Magu further stated that some of the challenges inhibiting more Nigerians from reporting unscrupulous persons in the society to the appropriate anti -graft agency was the fear of victimisation or attacks.

He added that the fear of victimisation by whistle -blowers was currently being addressed by the Whistle-Blower Protection Act passed by the National Assembly in 2017 .

“ Many would -be whistle -blowers are afraid of reprisals , attacks and other attendant risks involved in volunteering information about suspicious activities around them . However , this challenge is already addressed by the Whistle Blower Protection Act passed by the National Assembly in 2017 .

“ The Act provides that a person who makes a disclosure shall not be subject to victimisation by his or her employers or by fellow employees .