The Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, has revealed that the whistleblowing policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria, introduced in December 2016 under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has so far led to the recovery of more than N800 billion in looted public funds.
Uzoka-Anite disclosed this in Sokoto during her remarks at a one-day nationwide sensitisation programme on the implementation of the Whistleblowing Policy in Nigeria.
The event, held at the Sokoto Pinnacle Guest Inn Resort, drew participants from diverse sectors and aimed to encourage citizens to report cases of fraud, bribery, theft, looted government funds, financial misconduct, and other corrupt practices.
Addressing participants virtually, the minister said the sensitisation programme was designed to help stakeholders identify existing gaps in the policy while developing a realistic and achievable roadmap for its future implementation.
She acknowledged the challenges confronting the policy but stressed that the government remained undeterred, calling on citizens to collaborate with relevant authorities to expose corruption at all levels.
She also urged the Sokoto State Government to domesticate and institutionalise the whistleblowing policy at the state level.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Musa, said whistleblowers were more than informants, describing them as “guardians of integrity” who must be protected and strengthened because of their critical role in safeguarding public resources.
In his remarks, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, represented by the State Commissioner of Finance, Muhammad Jabbi Shagari, reaffirmed his administration’s zero tolerance for public embezzlement.
He said the state would continue to complement federal efforts to strengthen the whistleblowing policy, adding that his “Money or Work” stance had helped keep public office holders and contractors in check while promoting accountability and good governance.
Presenting a paper titled “The Benefits of Whistleblowing Policy in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria,” the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, represented by Kamilu Ibrahim Gebi, Head of Public Affairs at the EFCC Sokoto Zonal Directorate, noted that public enthusiasm for whistleblowing had declined in recent years.
He explained that although the policy initially enjoyed massive public support, its attractiveness waned over time, making a review, modification, and realignment imperative to sustain its contribution to the anti-corruption fight.
Olukoyede therefore appealed to the National Assembly to urgently pass a law that would guarantee adequate protection for whistleblowers who risk their lives to expose corruption.
