CSO releases shocking details of fraud in NLC, demands suspension of Gbajabiamila

A civil rights organization, the Network Practice and Integrity in Leadership (NEBPRIL), has alleged that the National Lottery Commission is involved in massive fraud.

NEBPRIL in a petition disclosed that in one day October 13, 2019 the Commission used the illicit bank transaction method to disburse N15 million and N17 million for the same purpose through a pool staff.

The petitions dated August 6, 2021, read in part: “Financial transactions in the Commission involving multiple staffers of the agency evidentially suggest a disturbing collusion of the Director-General of the commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila, with some Accounts and Audit staff, to enable brazen, unethical activities that amount to financial fraud.

“A close study of a few of the Finance and Audit documents of the Commission, revealed multiple, systemic official financial fraud, financial infractions, official impunity and less than transparent internal  financial governance structure in NLRC, under Mr. Gbajabiamila.”

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The petition listed some of the fraud allegations thus: “It is evident based on the documents at our disposal, that some members of staff of the Commission, especially in the Finance & Accounts and also Audit departments, have made themselves willing members of the financial fraud syndicate in the commission.

Calling for the suspension of the Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, the CSO urged the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, to investigate the DG without further delays.

Chairman of NEBPRIL, Hon Victor Afam Ogene, in a statement said: “The Commission, under the watch of the Director-General, has seemingly enabled acts that bother on official deceit, financial fraud, administrative infractions, impunity and other forms of official malfeasance that run contrary to the civil/public service rules, Procurement Act as well as the EFCC Act.”

Ogene, former member of the House of Representatives, disclosed that NEBPRIL on April 6, 2021, wrote a letter to the Director-General, Mr. Gbajabiamila, which was received and acknowledged by his office on April 7.

According to him, the letter “sought clarifications on 143 bank transactions that were made using the bank accounts of about 20 specific staff members at different times.

He said: “NEBPRIL had sought the information, as a responsible organization with strong advocacy for best practice, integrity in leadership and fairness to all parties, but sadly, till date no official explanation has been received from the Commission in response to our letter.”

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“Evidently, between March and December 2019, about N348million was diverted through the use of the bank accounts of 20 staffers, in a total of 143 transactions. In March 2019, the sum of N26million was fraudulently mopped-up in 11 transactions, via bank accounts of nine members of staff.

“In April 2019, N27.1million in 12 transactions by nine staff accounts; in May 2019, N9.5million in five transactions through four staff accounts; and in June 2019, N23.4 million was mopped-up via nine members of staff accounts in 10 transactions.

In July 2019, a total of N61.1million was mopped-up in 27 different translations through the bank accounts of 10 staff; in August 2019, N17.8 million was mopped-up in eight transactions through the accounts of six staff; and in September 2019, N56.5million was mopped-up in 24 transactions, using the accounts of 16 staff.

“In October 2019, N21.3million was mopped-up in 10 transactions via nine staff accounts; in November 2019, N39.7 million was mopped-up in 18 transactions, using the accounts of 12 staff; in December 2019, N65.8 million was mopped-up in 29 transactions, using the accounts of 14 staff; and in 2020 financial year, a total sum of N42.7million was mopped-up in 18 transactions using the accounts of nine staff.”

NEBPRIL therefore implored the Chairman of the EFCC, Bawa to use his good offices to investigate these allegations and bring the culprits to book, adding that “such action being in tandem with the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration’s anti-corruption stance, would also help reconcile the faith of the ordinary Nigerian to the often stated position that under your headship of the EFCC, there will be no sacred cows, especially against the backdrop of the privileged standing of the DG, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila, as a younger sibling of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives.