The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has bemoaned the continued decline in number of whistleblowers and continued indifference of Nigerians to the policy.
The commission expressed its concern over the trend on Thursday at a townhall meeting organised by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) in Awka, Anambra state.
The EFCC says some challenges are undermining the effectiveness of the whistleblowing policy despite rewards offered to informants.
The programme, which was supported by the MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET), had the theme, ‘Role of Community-Based Organisations in Entrenching Whistleblowing Policy at the Grassroots’.
Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the commission, who was represented by Oshodi Johnson, Enugu zonal commander of EFCC, at the event, said the whistleblowing policy helped the agency to recover huge stolen public funds across the country.
He, however, said ignorance of the legal and administrative frameworks of the policy, as well as difficulties and bureaucratic processes for claiming the advertised incentives, are some of the challenges.
“It is also not impossible that the few false informants or whistleblowers who were prosecuted for wanting to turn a serious programme to memes, unnerved some other would-be informants,” NAN quoted him as saying.
“Whatever the challenges are, it is imperative that there is fresh awakening to sustain the flow of critical intelligence to Nigerian law enforcement agencies.”
The EFCC boss said the commission is committed to the success of the whistleblowing policy, adding that it is a critical part of the federal government’s anti-corruption framework.