ABUJA – Senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to protect whistle blowers in the country, which was sponsored by Senator Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti South).

 It is titled: “Bill for an Act to protect persons making disclosures for public interest and others from reappraisal, 2016 (SB.158)”.

 Defending the Bill, Olujimi said it will ensure that mechanisms are put in place to provide effective protection for whistle blowers and give people confidence of reporting procedures without fear of retaliation for reporting in good faith suspecting acts of corruption and other wrong doings.

 “the inability of the country’s legal frame work to effectively reduce corruption may be associated with the low number of corruption/fraud cases successfully prosecuted which significantly depends on whistle blowers.

“The effectiveness of Nigeria’s legal framework and fight against corruption /fraud depends on the quality of the country’s whistle blowing standard / protection.     “The absence or its inadequacies are harming the citizen, the economy and the rule of law. When corruption, fraud and crimes go undetected and unpunished, everyone loses. Suspected cases of corruption must be reported by the citizen,  investigated by the appropriate government agencies and prosecuted by courts of competent jurisdiction”.

Also, Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West) urged his colleagues to support the bill saying it is in tandem with the constitution and the United Nations Charter on Human Right.

He pointed out that the bill will help to make Nigerians free to give information to relevant anti graft agencies and police.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, said it was a welcome development in view of the war against corruption.

“To fight corruption,there are certain bills we need to pass, and I think this is one of them”,he said.

Meanwhile, the Bill was referred to the Senate committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for more legislative inputs and to bring it back in two weeks