We'll punish false claims, misleading intelligence

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Executive Chairman, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede has said they’ll punish false claims and misleading intelligence given by whistleblowers saying every whistle blown must point towards truths and evidential proofs.

This is as he said the war against corruption cannot be won through lip service, emotional outbursts, or mere mob campaigns.

Represented by the Dr Benedict Ubi, the Acting Zonal Director EFCC Zonal Directorate Kaduna on the Occasion of 2024 African Anti-corruption Day on Thursday, the EFCC boss said the world over, the issue of corruption has been a bane to both local and global development.

He said 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 terrorism, corruption ranks as the next deadliest affliction of humanity in every region of the world,” he added.

“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.”

“The Whistle-Blowing Policy in Nigeria, was launched on December 21, 2016 by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance as an anti-corruption programme that 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.”

“The theme of the 2024 African Anti-Corruption Day is “Effective Whistleblowing for Corruption-Free Nigeria”. Whistleblowers are 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.”

“I urge whistleblowers to key into this device. Mails can be sent, telephone calls can be made, and personal visits can be made to any EFCC Command across the country to expose acts of shadiness around us. We also assure every whistle-blower of protection. EFCC will never betray you!

“On this note, I want all of us to embrace this obligation more seriously. We cannot win the war against corruption through lip service, emotional outburst or mere mob campaigns. There is a need for commitment, passion, consistency and credibility of intelligence. Every whistle blown must point towards truth and evidential proofs. There is punishment for false claims and misleading intelligence.”

Meanwhile, the African Network for Anti-Corruption (ANA) has posited that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) can not succeed in its operations without citizens’ support.

This was even as it’s said fighting corruption is everybody’s business.

It also said Nigerian leaders must take up the challenge to fight corruption at all levels if the country must make progress.

The convener of the group, Muhammad Musbahu Basirka made this known while speaking in Kaduna on the fight against corruption.

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