Ibrahim Magu

The whistle blowing policy of the Nigerian government has continued to yield further result as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is presently on the trail of a Nigerian lady, Mrs Ngozi Ekeoma, and her companies, Nepal Oil & Gas Services Limited, Carnival Energy Oil & Gas Limited, Caades Oil & Gas Limited and other offshore companies over their involvement in a serial petroleum subsidy scam estimated at over N10billion.

EFCC got its information through a whistle blower who petitioned the anti- graft agency through a law firm based in Lagos. The petition was received by the commission on 6 Nov 2018.

Whistle-blowing Policy in Nigeria is an anti-corruption programme that encourages people to voluntarily disclose information about fraud, bribery, looted government funds, financial misconduct, government assets and any other form of corruption or theft to the Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance.

A whistle-blower who provides information about any financial mismanagement or tip about any stolen funds to the ministry’s portal is rewarded or entitled to 2.5% – 5% percentage from the recovered funds by the Nigeria government. The policy was launched on December 21, 2016 by Nigeria’s Federal Government and facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Finance.As at 2018, the implementation of the policy raked in N9.12 billion into government coffers. Government officials gave the figures as N7.8 billion, $378 million and 27,800 pounds.

In the letter, the undisclosed whistle blower stated that “in the spirit of patriotism and in consonance with the whistle blowing policy, it is the brief and intendment of our client to reveal a typical crime cycle particularly regards subsidy during the Petroleum Subsidy Fund Scheme perpetrated by Mrs Ekeoma.

The alleged criminal acts of Mrs Ngozi Ekeoma and her companies were perpetrated between the year 2011 and 2012”.The whistle blower attached documents to his claims evidencing transfer of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) meant for consumption in Nigeria but diverted to vessels that ferried the cargoes for subsequent sales overseas.