The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has emphasized the importance of accuracy and truth in whistleblowing.
He warned that false claims and misleading intelligence provided by whistleblowers would be punished, asserting that every whistle blown must be based on factual evidence.
Speaking through Dr. Benedict Ubi, the Acting Zonal Director of EFCC’s Kaduna Zonal Directorate, during the 2024 African Anti-Corruption Day on Thursday, Olukoyede highlighted that the battle against corruption cannot be won through mere lip service, emotional outbursts, or mob campaigns.
He remarked on the global challenge posed by corruption, noting its detrimental impact on both local and international development. “There can be no accurate statistical or quantitative evaluation of the havoc corruption is wreaking on genuine efforts at development because of its pervasive and recurring nature. Aside from terrorism, corruption ranks as the next deadliest affliction of humanity in every region of the world,” he stated.
Olukoyede stressed the need for collective action to combat corruption. “In view of the danger and threat to our existence which corruption represents, it is imperative that individuals, communities, corporate bodies, and indeed the whole world join hands together to tackle it frontally. One way of doing this is through the whistle-blowing initiative.”
He highlighted the Whistle-Blowing Policy in Nigeria, launched on December 21, 2016, by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance. The policy encourages people to voluntarily disclose information about fraud, bribery, looted government funds, financial misconduct, abuse, or embezzlement of government assets, and any other form of corruption or theft.
Reflecting on the theme of the 2024 African Anti-Corruption Day, “Effective Whistleblowing for a Corruption-Free Nigeria,” Olukoyede described whistleblowers as anti-corruption promoters. “Through their efforts, anti-corruption agencies are alerted about environmental compromises that should be investigated. The alert can come through verbal and non-verbal corridors. At the EFCC, the Eagle Eye app is an established corruption reporting device that is generating intelligence the Commission can leverage on,” he explained.
Olukoyede’s statements underscore the critical role of accurate and honest reporting in the fight against corruption, and the commitment of the EFCC to act on reliable information to enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
