FG to extend whistle blower policy to illegal arms

By Lawrence Olaoye Excited by the success of the whistle blowers' policy in the fight against corruption, the Federal Government is considering using same to checkmate illegal possession of arms in the country. This was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, in an interaction with State House Correspondents yesterday. While disclosing that the government has begun measures to further strengthen the whistle blowers policy, Shehu commended the enthusiastic response of Nigerians which, he noted, has boosted the tempo of the anti corruption crusade of the Buhari administration. According to him, 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 whistleblower mechanism is too important to be left without a strategic, national direction," he said. Shehu commended the zeal and patriotism of Nigerians for responding positively to the whistle blower incentive policy, which was intended to expose hidden looted funds. He said "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 explained that the huge and incredible amounts of looted funds being recovered by EFCC and the whistleblower efforts "is a revelation about the mindless, callous and reckless scale on which Nigeria had been robbed by unpatriotic and egregiously selfish public officials." He stressed that Buhari's election in 2015 was a divine intervention in response to the desperate cries of Nigerians for urgent change. He added that "stealing by officials under a democratic government at the expense of people's welfare is worst betrayal of voters' mandate." The Presidential spokesman also indicated that the government was getting suggestions to bring the issue of illegal weapons in the hand of citizens that are used to fuel intra and inter-communal violence under the purview of whistle blower policy. "Yes, it is true, the presidency has received suggestions that call for the whistle blower policy to be extended to the possession of illegal weapons by powerful individuals in the country. The government will look at all that and make a pronouncement. Nigerians would be encouraged to expose the presence of illegal weapons in the homes of powerful politicians and other public figures who may use those deadly arms for sinister political agenda." He said those patriotic Nigerians exposing looted funds deserve all the encouragement and protection to sustain their enthusiasm with a view to encouraging more citizens to participate in this major aspect of the anti corruption crusade. While commending Nigerians for their support, the Buhari administration has assured the citizens that all recovered funds would be applied to their welfare and happiness, adding that no country can achieve progress with corruption. brought to you by Mr Olumide's Blog MOB