January 18, 2023

The Whistleblowers Anti-corruption Reporting Network (WARN), a civil society organisation (CSO) says it has received 1,381 whistle blowing information and has supplied those information to various anti-corruption agencies in the country.

Mr. Gabriel Onwe, the Executive Director of WARN, disclosed this at the one-year anniversary of the organisation, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The event tagged “Corruption Must Go; Blow the Whistle”, had in attendance representatives from various anti-corruption agencies, government institutions and others stakeholders.

Onwe said that the whistle blowing information supplied to the anti-corruption agencies already had three persons convicted for their crimes.

He added that the information had also resulted in recovery of movable and immovable assets worth millions of Naira, including cash, houses, plots of land and vehicles, wrongly appropriated by public officers.

The executive director, who expressed his dissatisfaction over the dwindling moral values among Nigerians, said that WARN would continue to promote the National Ethics and Integrity Policy of the Federal Government.

He recommended that the Federal Government for establishing a whistle blowing unit in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to strengthen its fight against corruption.

He also called for the suspension and indictment of public officers under investigation in accordance with the extant civil service rules.

“WARN found that some civil servants serve conviction terms and return to work as if nothing has happened.

“Such persons should be flushed out of the system in accordance with extant laws.

“We have communicated a list of such persons to the government,” he said.

Mr. Mainsara Umar, the Director, Legal Transformation and Corporate Service, National Commission for Colleges of Education in an interview, advocated for the creation of special court to handle anti-corruption cases.

“The Federation Government and National Assembly should go beyond pronouncement of the fight against corruption.

“Let us have anti-corruption court in Nigeria to handle cases of anti-corruption.

“It should be a court of summary trial whereby once you file a case it takes a maximum of three to six weeks to get judgement,” he said.

He added that there was a need for the review of the whistle blower policy to give room for more protection of whistle blowers.

According to him, this will encourage more people to come forth with necessary information that with aid the fight against corruption in the country.

Umar enjoined every Nigerian to make positive and useful contribution to the advancement, progress and well-being of the community where he or she resides.

He said that citizen should render assistance to appropriate and lawful agencies in the maintenance of law and order, and address the fight against corruption. (NAN)