CCB Chairman Bello Urges Nigerians To Report Public Officials Living Above Their Means
The Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Abdullahi Bello, has called on Nigerians to report public officials living above their legitimate income.
Alhaji Bello who made th call in a chat with journalists, said the citizens have a vital role to play in holding public servants accountable.
He disclosed that the CCB will soon launch a dedicated platform for submitting such complaints.
He informed that one of his first actions as chairman of the Bureau was to create a Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigation Unit within the bureau.
Bello further explained that drawing from his previous experience with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the unit scrutinizes asset declarations made by public officers.
According to the CCB Chairman, by comparing a public official’s declared assets at the beginning and end of a given period, investigators can detect unexplained increases in net worth.
He confirmed that several public officers, including high-profile individuals, have already been invited for questioning, and assured that the outcomes of ongoing investigations will soon be made public.
He urged the media and civil society to actively monitor and report the bureau’s efforts, stressing that transparency and public involvement are essential to the fight against corruption.
Bello encouraged Nigerians to report suspicions of unexplained wealth, even without access to official asset declarations, adding that reports can be submitted anonymously to protect the identity of whistleblowers.
He emphasized, “Asset declaration is a legal obligation for all public servants, regardless of the size of their assets, and warned that false or incomplete declarations are criminal offenses. “While Nigeria is yet to enact a whistleblower protection law, the bureau is working on a legislative proposal to ensure that individuals who choose to disclose their identities while reporting misconduct are legally protected, he stressed..
