In the aftermath of the controversy surrounding the ownership of the N13bn
\n($43.4m, N23m and \u00a327,000) found by the Economic and Financial Crimes
\nCommission (EFCC) at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, Socio-Economic
\nRights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu
\nBuhari to \u201curgently address country on the matter so as to clarify the
\nissue, and resolve lingering doubts among Nigerians regarding the real
\nowner(s) of the cash.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organization also called on the president to \u201censure legal backing for
\nhis government\u2019s whistle-blowing policy by vigorously pursuing the passing
\nby the National Assembly of the Whistle-blower Bills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the National Intelligence
\nAgency last week reportedly claimed ownership of the cash, casting doubts
\non the \u2018real claimants.\u2019<\/p>\n
In a statement today by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the
\norganization said that, \u201cThe government\u2019s increasing reliance on
\nwhistle-blowers\u2019 tips to fight corruption has to be backed by some level
\nof transparency and accountability in the real identities of those
\nclaiming recovered cash. Clearing the doubts surrounding the real
\nidentities of those behind the Ikoyi cash haul would demonstrate that the
\npresident values transparency over secrecy, provide further encouragement
\nto blow the whistle on governmental corruption, and enhance the public
\nright to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the organization, \u201cDemocracy abhors secrecy, and for
\nNigerians to be able to hold elected leaders accountable, they must have
\naccess to information such as on the real identities of those behind the
\nIkoyi cash haul. This transparency is fundamental to the operation of the
\ngovernment\u2019s whistle-blower policy, and inextricably rooted in the notions
\nof good governance and the rule of law under the 1999 Nigerian
\nconstitution (as amended).\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement read in part: \u201cNo good comes from secrecy in governance, as
\nofficials who have become accustomed to operating without accountability
\nare loath to relinquish the power that comes from conducting their
\nbusiness without public scrutiny. When public authorities resist efforts
\nto shine a light on their activities, it gives the impression that there
\nis something to hide. It\u2019s counter-productive to overstate national
\nsecurity based secrecy needs, as secrecy encourages poorly informed and
\nunder-vetted decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic scrutiny is a prerequisite for changing harmful, entrenched
\npractices. Rather than operating the whistle-blowers policy as hidden,
\nmysterious mechanism at the far edge of democracy, this government should
\nmake the operation of policy more transparent and accessible to the
\npublic. Both transparency and accountability are necessary to uphold the
\nrights of victims of corruption and ensure that suspected perpetrators are
\nheld to account. The \u2018sky will not fall\u2019 if the true identities of those
\nbehind the Ikoyi cash haul are revealed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear that as the EFCC continues to uncover more suspected looted or
\nill-gotten cash, those blowing the whistle will need greater level of
\nprotection. But without outlawing retaliation and attacks against
\nwhistle-blowers, and taking a firm stance on protecting them, the
\nincentive of bounty rewards would be negated, as potential whistle-blowers
\nmay be discouraged from performing invaluable public interest service.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be the case that the government knows the risks of
\nwhistle-blowing and yet fails to provide the needed legal protection
\nagainst retaliation and attacks, regardless of whether whistle-blowers are
\nentitled to bounties.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe policy of giving whistle-blowers some percentage of recovered loot
\nwould seem to be a game changer in the fight against corruption but this
\ngovernment now has to squarely address the significant risks that those
\nwho blow the whistle face by urgently working with the National Assembly
\nto ensure the necessary legal backing that would ensure protection against
\nreprisals and attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government should ensure that the National Assembly expedites the
\nprocess of passing the Whistle-Blower Bill, as ensuring that the bill is
\npassed without further delay would recognize the necessity of
\nwhistleblowers and the value they add to the anti-corruption fight by
\nreporting otherwise unknown corruption-related information. It would also
\nensure that whistle-blowers are fully protected from any retaliation and
\nattacks they may experience, and that the government fully appreciates the
\ninformation they provide.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cContinuing delay in the passing of the Whistle-Blower Bill would have a
\nchilling effect on potential whistleblowers and hinder the public’s
\nability to learn about the kind of cash haul found in Ikoyi and elsewhere
\nacross the country. It\u2019s also contrary to Article 33 of the UN Convention
\non Corruption, which Nigeria has ratified. The convention obligates the
\ngovernment to put in place appropriate measures to provide protection
\nagainst any unjustified treatment for any person who reports in good faith
\nand on reasonable grounds to the competent authorities any facts
\nconcerning offences established in accordance with the convention.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the aftermath of the controversy surrounding the ownership of the N13bn ($43.4m, N23m and \u00a327,000) found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n