Corruption: EFCC Unveils Mobile App for Whistleblowing

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched a mobile application where members of the public can now report cases of corruption to the organisation.

The app named Eagle Eye, according to the commission, will serve as an alternative to the traditional method of reporting people or organisations suspected to be engaged in corrupt practices.

The Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, noted that the commission is tapping into emerging technologies to rid Nigeria of corruption and boost its whistleblowing policy.

He added that the app was designed in such a way to guarantee the security of anyone reporting a case of corruption to the EFCC.

This will not, however, substitute the traditional ways of reporting corruption cases, the anti-money laundering agency’s boss said.

The EFCC chief further noted that the commission will subject whatever complaints made via the app to scrutiny to ensure that people do not report others for malicious reasons.

Mr Bawa added that the law will be wielded against anyone found guilty of filing false information to mislead the organisation.

Although he did not give a specific number of cases, he said in the past, the EFCC has had to charge people to court for giving fake information.

This latest development is part of Mr Bawa’s administration plans to strengthen the country’s waning anti-graft agency.

Mr Bawa, a 40-year-old EFCC investigator, was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to fill in the shoes of the former Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, who was relieved of his duty over corruption charges.

He has vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of advance fee fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.