The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mohammed Umar Abbah, has disclosed that the Commission recovered over N4.16 billion from lottery companies, being revenue owed to the government, which they refused to remit.
A statement from the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said the disclosure was made on September 24 at the EFCC Headquarters while hosting a delegation from the Ministerial Task Force for recovery of unpaid revenues from lottery businesses, led by its chairman, Williams Alo.
Uwujaren said Mohammed noted that lottery companies operating in the country were not forthcoming in remitting revenues that were due to the government hence the need for the EFCC to intervene.
While appraising the efforts of the Commission in this direction, he said, “We mapped out strategies which resulted in the recovery of over N1.16 billion from lottery companies, operating in Abuja with over N3 billion from their counterparts, operating in Lagos State.
He assured the task force of the EFCC’s unwavering support stating, “We are willing and ready to partner with you to ensure that lottery companies that have continuously shortchanged the government are made to cough out all the revenues they had deprived the government over the years.”
Alo, who is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, commended the EFCC for its effort in recovering the unremitted lottery funds.
“Let me acknowledge the efforts of this Commission for the assistance it has rendered not only to the Federal Government of Nigeria but specifically to the lottery industry in Nigeria.
“It is in our record that the EFCC has assisted the lottery business in no small way, because a lot of recoveries have been made for us by the EFCC and the money recovered has always been handed over to the lottery trust fund,” Alo said.
Alo, however, solicited for more support and collaboration of the Commission in the fund recovery drive of the task force.
“Our main purpose is to solicit for continuous collaboration and partnership, after all we are in the same line of business which is making sure that life is better for Nigerians,” Alo stated.
