Nigeria police targeting whistleblower who exposed payroll fraud

The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to provide immediate protection for Katsina-based entrepreneur and whistleblower, Mubarak Bello, who was recently arrested by the state police command.

Mr Bello, who until recently ran a business centre inside the Katsina police headquarters, was arrested on 13 September after a night patrol intercepted his Toyota Corolla.

Police in Katsina State alleged that they found a locally made rifle, live cartridges and a fake police identity card in his possession.

He is currently facing accusations of impersonation, unlawful possession of firearms and holding a forged police ID.

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However, CWPPF, a coalition of more than 30 media and civil society organisations, insists Mr Bello’s arrest is linked to his role in exposing a ghost workers’ scheme within the Katsina police command.

According to the coalition, Mr Bello had raised alarms about a payroll racket dating back to 2017, when he alleged that officers attempted to co-opt him and an associate into the scheme.

In 2021, Mr Bello reportedly petitioned several anti-corruption bodies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Police Service Commission (PSC), providing documents he claimed revealed widespread fraud.

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) recently reported that Mr Bello’s arrest came in retaliation for his whistleblowing activities.

CWPPF echoed this concern in its petition dated 18 September, warning that Mr Bello’s life and that of his family are under “serious and imminent threat.”

“The Nigerian Police Force should conduct a prompt, thorough and diligent investigation into the alleged payroll fraud scheme, as well as the allegations against him,” the coalition wrote in a petition submitted to IGP Egbetokun, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, and his counterpart in Katsina State.

The petition, signed by the Deputy Director, Journalism Programme at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Busola Ajibola, on behalf of the coalition, was also submitted to the National Human Rights Commission and ICPC.

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The acknowledgement copies were received, the coalition told PREMIUM TIMES, explaining that “the copy meant for the Committee on Public Petitions is pending because the National Assembly is on recess.”

The coalition further demanded protection for Mr Bello and his family until the matter is resolved.