Whistleblowers often have insider knowledge that’s vital to expose favouritism and nepotism which would otherwise go unchallenged. In 2018, a retired army officer made a confidential report to Transparency International Nigeria’s ALAC exposing a military Director of Chaplain Services for Lagos State who was receiving his full salary, but not carrying out his work. The director had suffered a serious accident two years prior and not been to his office since, nor had he been retired as medically unfit, which is in compliance with army regulations. Instead, he continued holding the same post that he occupied for 13 years due to his connections – despite army policy stating that the appointment should last a maximum of 18 months.
Protecting the whistleblower’s identity, ALAC staff wrote to the Army Chief of Staff, the Military Secretary and the Minister of Defence, urging them to investigate. Receiving no response, they followed up with a reminder. The whistleblower soon reported that the army had opened an investigation and confirmed in February 2019 that the Director of Chaplain Services had finally retired according to army protocol and that a successor was appointed. Thanks to the whistleblower’s report, the long-running corruption ended and work that is paid by the public purse is now being delivered instead.
