FG has reportedly paid 14 whistleblowers the sum of N439Million

For helping the federal government rake in N13.8 billion from tax evaders,14 whistle blowers have been rewarded with the sum of N439.276 million.


The informants tipped off government on the affected tax evaders ,Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun told reporters.

“The payment was made this week after the federal government received the sum of N13.8 billion from the affected tax evaders, mostly corporate organizations, based on tips from whistleblowers,” the minister said.

This reward is different from that given to those who provide information on stolen public funds.

By June 2017 a total N375.8 million had been paid to the first batch of 20 providers of information on stolen funds under the Whistleblower Policy.

The payment, of various amounts totalling N375,875,000, was in respect of the recovery of N11,635,000,000.

Government,according to Adeosun, is actively preparing cases for prosecution against tax evaders by the end of next month when the tax amnesty will end.

She said the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) is faring well as “we are getting far more tips on tax evasions, which of course is a crime against us all.”

She said that since the introduction of the VAIDS in 2017 to peacefully bring in more tax payers into the tax net to boost revenue, the Federal Government’s data mining efforts have identified over 130,000 high net worth individuals and companies that have potential tax underpayments issues against them.

The minister also told reporters of how some people she did not identify had tried to sell off over 100 government properties abroad.