Whistleblower takes EFCC to court- Ikoyi loot

Report says, Musa had earlier rejected the N325million offered to him by the Federal Government, insisting on his five percent commission of N860m.

The whistle-blower, Abdulmunmini Musa, who reportedly provided the information leading to the seizure of $43m, N23.2m and £27,800 (N13bn) from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos state, has sued the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also joined in the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, are the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

According to reports, Musa had earlier rejected the N325million offered to him by the Federal Government, insisting on his five percent commission of N860m.

Whistle blower policy

The Federal Government had promised to pay anyone who provides information that leads to the recovery of over N1b, will get a commission of five percent.

According to Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, who was part of the team that drafted the whistle-blower policy, “If you blow the whistle and the government recovers cash, you are entitled to between 2.5 per cent and five per cent. The maximum limit is five per cent.

“According to the policy, if you blow the whistle and it is below N500m, you get four to five per cent because the higher the amount that is recovered, the lower the percentage that is given. This is the global best practice.

“If the recovery is between N500m and N1bn, you get three to four per cent (commission). If it is N1bn and above, it is 2.5 per cent. Indeed, there is a clause that we included in the policy to say that the government may determine the amount to be awarded based on other criteria provided that the amount to be awarded doesn’t exceed five per cent. In other words, the government may actually pay less than 2.5 per cent but nobody can be paid more than five per cent.”

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The whistle-blower is seeking: “A declaration that the plaintiff, the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants actively participated and are instrumental to the whistle-blowing or disclosure of information disclosed to the 1st defendant staff or officers which resulted to the 1st defendant’s (EFCC’s) recovery of the sums $43.4m, N23.3m and 27,800 Euros at Flat 7 Osborne Towers. lkoyi, Lagos State.

“A declaration that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants by themselves their agents or officers cannot exclude, deny or refuse to pay the sum of 2.5 to 5 per cent of the sum of $43.4m N23.3m and 27,800 Euros recovered by the officers or staff of the 1st defendants as a result of the disclosure or whistle blowing resulting to the recovery of the sum of $43.4m, N23.3m and 27,800 Euros of Flat 7 Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos State," Punch reports.

The Whistle blower is unfit

Recently, the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), said that the whistle-blower might run mad if he is given the commission.

Sagay also alleged that the man is not sufficiently stable to receive such a huge sum of money.