The Federal Government says it will continue to protect and reward providers of credible information leading to the recovery of loots or stolen assets.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the reassurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
According to the minister, whistle-blowers, whether in the public or the private sector, will have their identities and their information kept secret.
“For those who may have suffered any backlash as a result of the information they provide, their cases will be reviewed and appropriate mitigating actions taken,” he said.
Mohammed said the reassurance followed presentations made to the Presidential Assets Recovery Committee by concerned citizens and groups about the safety of whistle-blowers.
“Whistle-blowers have nothing to fear because the committee has put in place the necessary measures to safeguard those who give useful
information.
“As a matter of fact, whistle-blowers have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” he said.
The minister said any whistle-blower whose information leads to the recovery of up to one billion naira will receive five per cent of the amount.
He added that the reward for any amount between one billion naira and five billion naira will be five per cent for the first one billion naira and four per cent of the remaining four billion naira.
Any amount over five billion naira will attract 2.5 per cent reward. The minister said.
“For example, if a whistle-blower provides information leading to the recovery of 10 billion naira, he or she will receive five per cent of the first five billion naira, four per cent of the next four billion naira and 2.5 per cent of the remaining five billion naira.
“What we have done by making this information public is to reassure potential whistle-blowers that the plan to reward is real.
“We are not just saying we will pay all whistle-blowers, but we are letting them know in advance what they are entitled to once the information they
provide leads to the recovery of looted funds,” he said. (NAN)
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