EFCC recovers N4.1bn unpaid revenue from lottery operators

TRACKING___The Economic and Financial Crimes C o m m i s s i o n (EFCC) has recovered N4.16 billion from lottery companies, being revenue owed to the government, which they allegedly failed to remit. Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Mohammed Umar, made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja, during a visit by the Ministerial Task Force on the recovery of unpaid revenues from lottery businesses.

A statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the delegation was led by the task force’s chairman, Mr. Willaims Alo. Mohammed, according to the statement, 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 that, “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”. Uwujaren said 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.