Whistle-Blowers Receive N375m In First Payments – Says Adeosun

Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun 

The federal government has made good, its promise of cash reward for Whistleblowers on the new policy aimed at encouraging Nigerians to report corrupt people to the authorities.

The Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun disclosed, yesterday that the sum of N375,875,000 has been paid to 20 people who provided information, leading to the recovery of N11,635,000,000. She said, “This payment, which is the first under the Whistleblower Policy, underscores the commitment of the President Muhmmadu Buhari-led administration in meeting obligations to information providers under the Whistleblower Policy. The policy is an essential tool in the fight against corruption.” 

The payment Mrs. Adeosun said was a demonstration of current administration’s determination to encourage all Nigerians with information on misconduct, violation or improper activity which can impact negatively on Nigeria to report same to the authorities. 

She further disclosed recent amendments to the Whistleblower Policy which includes the introduction of a formal legal agreement between information providers and the Federal Government, which is executed by the Minister of Justice (Attorney-General of the Federation). 

Procedures have also been introduced to ensure the protection of the identity of information providers during the payment process. The Minister explained that all payments are taxable and are only made upon confirmation of the final recovery of assets as confirmed by the Attorney-General of the Federation as being free of legal disputes or litigation. The Minister also gave details of the Whistleblower Unit (WBU), a multi-agency team, which is resident in Ministry of Finance Headquarters. It is staffed by secondees from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), among others. “The Whistleblower Unit is the first line of response to whistleblower information, where initial review is undertaken before cases are forwarded to the relevant investigative agencies,” Mrs. Adeosun said. The WBU has received 2, 150 communications and 337 tips through its dedicated channels from many patriotic Nigerians, which led to the recovery of substantial assets that were illegally acquired by various individuals. 

The primary purpose of the Policy is to support the fight against financial crimes and corruption, promote accountability and enhance transparency in the management of public finances.