A lotto war is brewing between Chief Kessington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu and Senator Buruji Kashamu with the latter dragging Adebutu to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe his Premier Lotto company for alleged tax evasion.
Premium Times, had reported that EFCC detectives have been poring through the books of the gambling mogul’s company to ascertain whether there has been a tax fraud.
The newspaper also reported that one of Adebutu’s sons, Segun has been questioned by EFCC officials in Lagos.
There has been no official confirmation of the probe by the EFCC.
Kashamu is claiming that Adebutu’s Premier Lotto is invading Ghana Games Lottery, which his company western Lotto Nigeria Limited has an exclusive right to sell in Nigeria.
The Ghana Games are said to be responsible for about 60/70 percent of the revenue generated from lottery games in Nigeria.
Reports said the Ghana National Lottery Authority (GNLA) granted Western Lotto Nigeria Limited the “exclusive rights” in an agreement recently executed by both parties.
The Ghana products include Monday Special Lotto, Lucky Tuesday Lotto, Midweek Lotto, Fortune Lotto, Friday Bonanza Lotto, Saturday National Lotto, VAG Lotto and super six Lotto) both in store and in all promotional activity.
Western Lotto’s right also include; “the exclusive right to use the draw numbers of the Ghana National Lottery Authority (NLA) to sell and distribute lotto products and games to customers located in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The first and second defendants in the suit, marked FHC/L/CS/2321/19, are the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and Registrar of Trademarks.
The 23 others are:
Premier Lotto Ltd, Secure Electronic Technology Ltd, Richwell Plaza Ltd,
Peoles, Empowerment Lottery Ltd, Gab Lotto Ltd, Payday Lotteries Ltd, R & S
Lotto Ltd,
Capstar Entertainment International Ltd, Winners Golden Chance Lotto, EG&H
Integrated Concepts Ltd, Global Lottery Ltd, Fortune Games Ltd EMI Systems Ltd,
Mobile Lottery Nigeria Ltd and Wesco Pools and Lotteries Ltd.
The rest are: Give and Take Lottery Ltd, Brentwood Multiservices Global Ltd, International Lottery and Gaming Ltd, Winlot Global Resources Ltd, Lottomania Nigeria Ltd, Derby Lotto Ltd, K.C Lottery Company Ltd and K.C Gaming Networks Ltd.
The order also affects “each and every Point of Sale Station and agency operated by them offering lottery products.”
Justice Aneke also appointed the third to 25th defendants to represent “the class of persons passing off their lotto products by using trade names and trade marks that are associated with the ‘Ghana Games’…and or who illegally sell ‘Ghana Games’ lotto products in Nigeria by using the draw of the numbers of the Ghana NLA to sell and distribute lotto games to customers in Nigeria.”