Presidency to extend whistle-blower policy to illegal weapons

Apparently encouraged by the string of successes recorded in the war against corruption and unaccounted wealth, the Presidency yesterday spoke of a plan to extend the Whistleblower policy to illegally acquired arms and ammunitions.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, who confirmed the development to reporters at the State House in Abuja, said plans are underway to strengthen the mechanism of the policy.

He noted that the enthusiastic response of Nigerians to the policy had boosted the tempo of the anti-corruption crusade.

According to him, the government was considering ways of enhancing the structural capacity of the whistleblower mechanism.

He said: “The government is considering empowering the mechanism by either bringing it under the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PCAC or some other body to imbue the process with a strategic national purpose.

“In a word, government thinks that the whistle blower mechanism is too important to be left without a strategic, national direction.’’

Shehu commended the zeal and patriotism of Nigerians for responding positively to the whistleblower incentive policy, which was intended to expose hidden looted funds.

According to the Presidential aide, no public policy can succeed or go far enough without public support and participation.

“When the citizens realise they are victims of corruption, they may feel encouraged to join the efforts to expose looted funds,” he added.