The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has expressed worries over series of false whistle-blowers sending petitions to the commission, saying that, henceforth, petitioners would be forced to sign an oath of undertaking before filing his or her report.
The EFCC’s Zonal Head, Kano office, Garba Dugum, stated this on Thursday during a training workshop on budget tracking and project monitoring for civil society organisations, CSOs, in northern Nigeria.
According to him, the policy, would help to prevent abuse by the people.
Mr Dugum, who was represented by the head, Economic Governance, Kano office, Sanusi Mohammed, disclosed that there had been many incidences of petitions filed by supposed whistle-blowers, which were later found to be false.
“Talking about the success of the whistle-blower policy in Kano, I am sure you are aware the case of former Group Managing Director, GMD, of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, emanated from Kano. Though the case is still in Kano. If you convert the monies involved, you are talking of billions of naira.
“That was why EFCC introduced oath-taking by whistle-blowers, to ensure that the information given is correct. The commission will not hesitate to prosecute any person who gives false information, simply because you want to settle scores with another person,” Mr Dugum added.
