FG recovers N9.2bn loot through whistleblowing policy

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Wednesday, disclosed that the Federal Government has so far recovered about N9.12 billion through its whistleblowing policy introduced to reward informants.

She gave a breakdown of the recoveries as N7.8 billion, $368 million, and £27,800.

Adeosun disclosed these while briefing State House correspondents of the outcome of a meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister said she also briefed the council of the government whistleblowing team’s training tour of the United Kingdom.

She said the policy which has become an integral part of the present administration’s ongoing anti-corruption war has come to stay.

She said, “I also reported that the whistleblower team has recently come back from a trip to the United Kingdom. The UK Government was giving us trainings on whistleblowing, how we should institutionalise it.

“The team spent sometime with the Revenue Office in UK. They spent sometime in Customs Office and they took them through what they have been able to do.

“One of the things it has achieved is prevention. When they get the tips, they use it to block avenues for leakage. We have had a significant number of tips. So, we will be coming back to institutionalise whistleblowing as a structure.

“It has become central part of fighting corruption, giving us valuable information. Basically, whistleblowing is here to stay, giving us useful information.”