A human rights organisation, operating under the banner of George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, advised President Bola Tinubu on Monday to instruct law enforcement agencies to collaborate with whistleblowers in solving crimes and recovering stolen funds. The organisation emphasised the importance of whistleblowers in exposing corruption and wrongdoing and stressed the need to safeguard them from retaliation.
The Chairman of GUWN, Dr George Uboh, expressed these views during a press conference held at the Abuja council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He also disclosed how he was arrested and detained for 101 days in 2019 after exposing the Forex scam perpetrated by the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Therefore, he proposed the implementation and reinforcement of the whistleblower policy, including the establishment of an independent office to protect and compensate whistleblowers.Uboh praised President Bola Tinubu for his bravery in apprehending a biased CBN governor who committed numerous unprecedented crimes against humanity against the Nigerian masses.The activist also stressed the importance of appointing someone with prior experience in whistleblowing to lead the office and shield whistleblowers from any adverse treatment.Uboh stated, “Although the media is full of reports on Emefiele’s corruption after his arrest, before the arrest, no Nigerian dared to criticise the Almighty Emefiele.
George Uboh Whistleblowers Network (hereinafter GUWN) exposed Emefiele’s corruption regarding a forex fraud of over US$3 billion through letters written to Emefiele on or about April 1, 2019.””On May 15, 2019, the day Emefiele appeared before the Senate for screening and clearance for his second tenure, I was arrested in my Maitama office. I was detained for 101 days for defaming Emefiele’s corrupt character. The then Chief Judge, FCT, Ishaq Bello, refused to hear my bail application. DIG Mike Ogbizi verbally denied me bail after I fulfilled the administrative bail granted to me by his men at Force CID.”
“We kindly request that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, instruct law enforcement agencies to collaborate with whistleblowers in order to expedite the resolution of crimes, trace, and recover staggering amounts of stolen or frozen funds.””Whistleblowers play a vital role in the fight against corruption, and it is crucial to protect them from adverse treatment and provide compensation.”
