Lottery Commission Lauds EFCC for N1bn Remittance To FG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been commended for its effort in making two frontline lottery operators – Premier Lotto a.k.a Baba Ijebu and KC Gaming, a.k.a Bet9ja– to remit a total of N1billion to the federal government.

The commendation was given by the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF)

The money was arrears of debt the two lottery operators owed the government as a “result of either neglect or refusal to remit 20 per cent of their turnover to government through NLTF as required by law.”

The commendation and appreciation letter to the anti-graft agency was signed by the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Bello Maigari.

Maigari said “We are pleased to report that due to the diligent execution of the on-going strategic engagement between the NLTF, NLRC and the EFCC, recovery of unremitted fees by some lottery operators has been made.

“The board and management of NLTF wish to convey our appreciation for your patriotic intervention in ensuring the immediate recovery of government’s due remittances for good causes. Furthermore, we commend the EFCC team spearheading the exercise for their doggedness and professionalism in rooting out corruption in the sector and restoring sanity to lottery and gaming operations.”

A statement issued by EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said a breakdown of the payments shows that Premier Lotto (Baba Ijebu) remitted N833,333,494.58, while KC Gaming (Bet9ja) remitted N166,666,827.92, totalling N1billion.

It said Section 24(3) of the National Lottery Act 2005 states that “a licensee shall pay to the Trust Fund, established under Section 35 of this Act, within a period of not more than 90 days after the determination of the result of each lottery, an amount of 20 per cent of the proceeds of the lottery for the first 5 years of the licence, 25 per cent in the subsequent 5 years and thereafter 27.5 per cent.”

According to the statement, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume, had in a petition, dated 20 January, sent to the EFCC, observed that “Since the inception of lottery business in Nigeria in 2007, only over N9 billion has been remitted into the federal government coffers till date,” a development he described as “totally unacceptable to the present administration.”

Akume disclosed that his ministry had to seek EFCC’s intervention because “efforts made by the NLRC to recover outstanding debts owed the federal government by the operators have proved abortive. Therefore, the ministry was left with no option than to draw the attention of your Commission to assist in that regard as this act by the operators is purely an economic sabotage.”

This act of “economic sabotage” has now been laid to rest with the N1bn remittances into the government’s account by the operators.