The Economic and Financial Crime Commission on Wednesday arraigned two whistle blowers before Justice M. T Salisu of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri, Borno state for allegedly giving the agency false information. The suspects were identified as Buhari Fannami and Ba-Kura Abdullahi.
In a statement released by the Commission’s Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the agency stated that Fannami and Ba-Kura misled the Commission with information about illegally acquired monies in both local and foreign currencies allegedly buried at Ba’a Lawan’s residence. The statement added that when the EFCC executed the search warrant obtained for the operation, the information was discovered to be false.
The charge reads in part “That you, Buhari Fannami and Ba-Kura Abdullahi, on or about the 8th day of May, 2017, at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did make statement to officers of the EFCC under the whistle blower policy to the effect that large sums of money, being the proceeds of crime, were buried in the residence of Ba’a Lawan at Pompomari Layout, along Pompomari Bypass, Maiduguri which you knew to be false and thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 39 (2) (a) and 39 (2) (b) of the EFCC Establishment Act 20014 respectively”.
The matter was adjourned till June 7 and 8, 2017 for further hearing and the suspects were remanded in prison custody. Meanwhile, the development is however eliciting reactions from members of the public. While some commentators who spoke to vigil360.com claimed that the move would only allow persons with reliable information to approach the Commission, others are of the opinion that it would discourage well meaning Nigerians from volunteering information, for fear of being arrested. Some even alleged that compromised officials of the Commission may have alerted the owners of the cash after the tip-off to enable him relocate the cash.