Magu Says Whistleblower Policy has Come to Stay, as EFCC Receives Petition of N2.5B Fraud Against ALGON

Pat Stevens/

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has not jettisoned the whistleblower policy.

Magu stated this while receiving a delegation of Nigerians in Diaspora led by New York-based Dr. Ifeanyi Obiakor, who paid him a courtesy visit at the EFCC Head Office, Jabi, Abuja.

The delegation also used the occasion to submit a petition in respect of an alleged N2.5 billion fraud involving some individuals under the umbrella of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

While speaking with the visitors, Magu also assured potential whistleblower of government’s commitment to paying them the advertised percentage of all monies recovered through the information they provided.

“Be informed also of the whistle-blower policy which has come to stay. You can play a unique role by virtue of your positions. You are also entitled to the per centage accruable to the blower under the policy”, Magu said.

He appealed to Nigerians in the Diaspora to show more interest and be keen in seeing Nigeria take the lead in the fight against corruption on the African continent.

According to the EFCC Chairman, the Commission plays a significant role in making national investment more secure, safeguarding the business environment and in protecting Nigeria’s international reputation through the prevention and detection of economic and financial crimes.

He promised the establishment of a Help Desk to attend to the Inquiries of the Nigerians in the Diaspora.

He also stressed the important role that Nigerians in the Diaspora can play as it relates to the extradition of looters who are taking refuge in various jurisdictions outside of the country.

Highlighting the human and natural resources of Nigeria, Magu cited example where a visiting Nigerian in Canada suddenly took ill and ended up being treated by a fellow Nigerian.

“When the Nigerian was rushed to the hospital, the best doctor who was called to attend to the life threatening situation was a Nigerian. Please, bring these expertise home for development,” Magu pleased with the delegation.

Earlier, Obiakor commended the remarkable achievements recorded by the EFCC in the fight against corruption.

According to him, with the efforts of the anti-graft agency, “Nigerians in the Diaspora would find it more satisfying to bring investment back home. Let the EFCC continue to reassure us and build our confidence that our investment back at home shall be secured, that we would not be defrauded of our hard earned income. Such assurance by the EFCC would inspire confidence”.

Obiakor who said there was so much to be done in Nigeria by Nigerians in the Diaspora and called on the Nigerian government to create a “Diaspora Village” which will encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to come back home and invest in real estate.

He also quoted a World Bank report entitled: ‘Migration and Development Brief’, which says that Nigerians in the Diaspora remitted back home a whooping $22 billion in 2017.

He noted that the amount was the highest in the Sub-Saharan region and the fifth highest in the world.

He said: “The amount represents 10 percent marginal increase in comparison to the 2016 remittance which stood at $19.64 billion.

“This cash flow back home by Nigerians in the Diaspora was the highest in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. We only need assurance by an agency like the EFCC to continue to make remittance for the overall good of the country.”

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