Absence of whistleblowing law hindering policy in Nigeria – AFRICMIL

By Joy Baba -Yesufu

Absence of a whistleblowing law has been said to be the major hindrance to the success of whistleblowing in Nigeria as whistleblowers face a lack of safe and an enabling legal environment that allows them to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisals.
This was the crux of conversation at a Policy Roundtable on “Towards a Whistleblower Protection Law in Nigeria” organized by African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) in Abuja.
AFRICMIL is a non-governmental organization whose vision is to promote media and information literacy as a key component in the enhancement of democracy, good governance and the promotion of accountability and orderly society.
In his welcome address, AFRICMIL Coordinator, Dr Chido Onumah, said the aim of this intervention, is to develop key ideas and strategies to put whistleblowing and the passage of a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria on the front burner of national conversation.
Onumah said whistleblowers play a positive, legitimate and crucial role in the prevention of and in the fight against corruption and the promotion of human rights in Nigeria and around the world.
He further said this important role of whistleblowers is recognized in various anti-corruption treaties, including in Article 33 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which requires that “Each State Party consider incorporating into its domestic legal system appropriate measures to provide protection against any unjustified treatment for any person who reports in good faith and on reasonable grounds to the competent authorities any facts concerning offenses established in accordance with this Convention.”
According to him “over the years, particularly since the Federal Government introduced a Whistleblowing Policy in December 2016, there have been efforts to enact a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria without success. So far, about ten out of 54 African countries have adopted specific laws to protect whistleblowers.
“At a time when many jurisdictions in Africa and around the world are adopting whistleblower protection laws, this intervention seeks to put the spotlight on whistleblower protection in Nigeria.
“However, instead of being recognized for their work, and instead of their participation in the fight against corruption being encouraged, whistleblowers are hindered by those whose interests they threaten. Some face reprisals such as dismissal, threats, physical violence or abusive legal proceedings, while others are forced into exile or even killed.”