Why EFCC is now reluctant to respond to tips from whistleblowers — Magu

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has decried most of the tip-offs being
passed to anti-graft detectives as leading to nowhere.

He said such outcomes often put the EFCC in an awkward
situation, and officials have become reluctant to responding to
leads from the public and focus on being circumspect when cracking
tip-offs that emanate from the public.

“The experience is not very good. In most cases, the information
comes, you go there and you don’t see anything, and it becomes a
source of embarrassment,” Mr. Magu told Daily Trust in an interview
published Saturday. “So, we are very cautious before we implement
the follow-up.”

But anti-corruption chief said his agency is working to improve
the whistleblower policy of the Buhari administration.

The complaint comes weeks after Mr. Magu said his agency has so
far recovered up to N17 billion in suspected stolen funds through
notifications from whistleblowes.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced the policy in December
2016. His government encourages citizens to inform law enforcement
authorities about suspicious activities of looters.

A five per cent reward was recommended by the policy. In June,
The government announced payouts of N375.8 million to 20
whistleblowers.

The Senate passed a bill aimed at protecting whistleblowers last
month, following reports that some of those who raised alarm about
alleged fraud were being victimised by their superiors.

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has decried most of the tip-offs being
passed to anti-graft detectives as leading to nowhere.

He said such outcomes often put the EFCC in an awkward
situation, and officials have become reluctant to responding to
leads from the public and focus on being circumspect when cracking
tip-offs that emanate from the public.

“The experience is not very good. In most cases, the information
comes, you go there and you don’t see anything, and it becomes a
source of embarrassment,” Mr. Magu told Daily Trust in an interview
published Saturday. “So, we are very cautious before we implement
the follow-up.”

But anti-corruption chief said his agency is working to improve
the whistleblower policy of the Buhari administration.

The complaint comes weeks after Mr. Magu said his agency has so
far recovered up to N17 billion in suspected stolen funds through
notifications from whistleblowes.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced the policy in December
2016. His government encourages citizens to inform law enforcement
authorities about suspicious activities of looters.

A five per cent reward was recommended by the policy. In June,
The government announced payouts of N375.8 million to 20
whistleblowers.

The Senate passed a bill aimed at protecting whistleblowers last
month, following reports that some of those who raised alarm about
alleged fraud were being victimised by their superiors.