Lottery Commission moves against money laundering, others

Agency Reporter

The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has said it had taken measures to deter money laundering, financing of terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other criminal offences in the lottery industry.

The commission said the move was meant to ensure that betting Nigerians and the industry are better served and the nation’s interest well protected.

It said the new technology-based measures were being taken through information and intelligence sharing with relevant agencies and arms of government.

Head of Public Affairs for the commission, Mr. Magnus Ekechukwu, stated this while addressing reporters on the sideline of a workshop, titled: Effects of Hate Speech, Fake News, Financial and Cyber Crimes on National Security, in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on behalf of the commission’s Director General, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila.

Ekechukwu said the NLRC, under the leadership of Gbajabiamila, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) for efficient and effective implementation of the measures.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read Also: Lottery Regulatory Commission unveils campaign against under age gambling

The spokesman noted that since assumption of office, Gbajabiamila had been introducing well thought-out and sustainable policies and programmes that had repositioned the 15-year-old commission.

He added that these engendered the profound results that had resulted in higher revenue generation, promotion and protection of stakeholders.

On the commission’s revenue drive, Ekechukwu said: “The NLRC is gradually becoming a major source of revenue for the country. We are working hard on this and, very soon, we shall become a major revenue earner for Nigeria.

“You know, we have already passed the billion naira mark as against the less than N600 million revenue we were earning before ‘Mr. Lottery’, Gbajabiamila, assumed office. With him, we shall get there, very soon. Our commitment is total.”