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Your Action’s Ill-advised, Counter-Productive, Null and Void, Lotto Company Tells NLRC
A frontline gaming company, Western Lotto Nigeria Limited, has reacted to the news of the purported prohibition of foreign lottery games in Nigeria by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), describing it as “ill-advised, counter-productive and null and void.
The company said the lottery commission cannot by a mere pronouncement confer on itself the powers that the enabling Act or the National Assembly did not confer on it; more so when the matter is before the court.
Western Lotto, which recently became the sole rights owners of the Ghana Games in Nigeria, said the action of the Lanre Gbajabiamila-led Commission was “unreasonable and myopic as it was taken not in the interest of the public but that of a tiny clique and mafia in the lottery business in Nigeria who have always manipulated the Commission to do its bidding and continue short-changing the Federal Government of trillions of naira whereas only about N9 billion has been paid as taxes and remittances in twelve years.”
In a statement signed by its General Manager, Mr. Tajudeen Usman, Western Lotto said the Commission does not have the powers to stop stakers and private businesses from patronising foreign lottery games, just as it does not have the powers to stop stakers from betting on the outcomes of foreign leagues.
The statement reads in part, “We strongly believe that the unilateral decision of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) without recourse to the enabling Act and due consultations with stakeholders cannot stand in the face of the law. It is even more so that the Commission took this step after we have joined issues in court over the Ghana Games and other matters related to it.
“The unwholesome decision to stop the sales or promotion of foreign games gives the Commission and its leadership away as supporting the mafia in the gaming industry in order to continue to short-change the Federal Government. It is too obvious and not good for their reputation. They should be an advocates who will join hands with Western Lotto in the campaign to sanitise the gaming industry, recover all the trillions that the Federal Government has been deprived of and return same to the coffers of the Government. But, unfortunately, the reverse is the case. How can the DG be in support of this?
“We recall that when the present Director-General of the Commission held sway at the Lagos State Lottery Board, he issued the state’s licence and vigorously defended it for operators to use it to operate in Lagos State against the national licence. That allowed and still allows operators to play Ghana Games and indoor games with the state’s licence. Other states also took a cue from Lagos State and did the same thing – they issued their own licences. Most lottery operators have licences from the states where they operate without recourse to the national licence.
“You cannot stop other states or stop any operator from using the state licences to sell foreign lotteries, including Ghana games. We had hoped that the Commission will support Western Lotto to bring sanity and proper coordination into the industry by keying into its platform as the sole representatives of the Ghana Games in Nigeria. This will allow you to be able to see and transparently control the sales and help the Federal Government to realise huge revenue as the mafia will not be able to manipulate the system again.”
The company said no law could stop a private company from entering into a contract with another private foreign company in the course of doing its legitimate business.
“We wonder if the enabling Act that the NLRC is relying on to carry out the Machiavellian action prohibits Western Lotto from entering an agreement with LMC VAS Ghana Ltd? No express provision in the Act prohibit a private business from contracting with private foreign business with regards to lawful activities. The provision of the Act permitting Mr. President to enter into agreement other states is discretionary and does not limit the contractual power of a private business from entering into a contract regarding lottery.
“As far as Western Lotto is concerned, these are now Nigerian-based games by reason of the valid acquisition of the intellectual property by a Nigerian licensed entity.”
The firm described as “very suspicious” the time and manner the decision was taken.
“Why was the decision not taken before Western Lotto got the exclusive franchise of the Ghana games? Every industry player knows that the Ghana Games are the most credible. They are the most widely played games in Nigeria for over 20 years and generate between 60 to 70 per cent of the total sales of lottery operators. This action will drastically affect the Federal Government’s revenue while enriching the mafia even more.
“It is true that the Commission has the powers to regulate the industry but can it stop the stakers from playing foreign games, such as Euro Millions, Powerball and the like? Can it also stop the sports betting companies from using the outcome of foreign matches and leagues? If it cannot, how then would it attempt to stop the playing of foreign lotteries in Nigeria, including the Ghana Games?” it asked.
The company also said the issue of credibility of the foreign lottery which was raised by the Commission holds no water, saying that a random sampling of stakers will show that they have more confidence in the results of the foreign lotteries than the indoor games of the respective lottery operators.
“If we may ask: where are the complaints of non-payment of winnings in foreign lotteries in Nigeria? Who are those making the complaints? We wish to invite the EFCC and other relevant agencies of the Federal Government to investigate Commission’s claims on the non-payment of winnings on foreign games. Assuming without conceding that there are complaints, is outright banning of foreign games the solution? Does the Commission not have internal mechanisms for resolving such issues as it did when Bet9ja had issues with the payment of winnings during the 2018 FIFA World Cup?”
Western Lotto said since Nigeria is a Federation where each state has its own lottery board, the NLRC cannot stop operators from selling the lotteries that they have been given licences to sell in the states.
The company wondered why the Commission did not act with the same speed it did in banning the sale and promotion of foreign lotteries when it raised issues of the sharp practices and short-changing of the Federal Government by lottery and sports betting operators.
“It beggars belief why the Commission would want to stifle or kill one operator for the others in a free market economy even when grave allegations of sharp practices with proofs have been supplied against the same operators.”
Western Lotto said it will be in the interest of the Commission, the gaming industry and the general public to reverse the alleged ban on foreign lottery games – in line with the economic and anti-corruption drive of the present administration.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, declined a request by the Department of State Services (DSS) to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, in his ongoing defamation trial.
Sowore is being prosecuted over comments made on social media in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The Federal government argues the statement contravenes provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as sections of the Criminal Code, and is capable of inciting public disorder.
Director of Public Prosecutions, M. B. Abubakar, told the court that Sowore’s remarks amounted to cyber harassment and criminal defamation under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act and Sections 59 and 375 of the Criminal Code.
He insisted the activist must be held accountable for using digital platforms to malign the President.
During proceedings, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, urged the court to issue a bench warrant, arguing that Sowore had been duly served with the charge and hearing notice but failed to appear.
He described the absence as a clear disregard for judicial authority.
According to Kehinde, allowing such conduct to go unchallenged could undermine the court’s authority — particularly in politically sensitive matters involving state institutions.
He also dismissed a letter submitted by activist Deji Adeyanju seeking an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf, describing it as an attempt to delay the case.
However, presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, declined the request. He ruled that it would be premature to issue a bench warrant because the second defendant in the matter, X Corporation (formerly Twitter), had not been properly served with the charge sheet.
The judge held that due process in serving all defendants must be completed before any coercive orders can be considered.
Counsel to X Corporation, Christabel Ndiokwelo, confirmed that although her client received the hearing notice, the formal charges had not yet been served.
Counsel to META (Facebook), Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), was also in court.
He aligned with the government’s position, describing Sowore’s absence as deliberate. He also dismissed Sowore’s claims that social media companies were collaborating with the DSS to censor him as “baseless and diversionary.”
Justice Umar adjourned the case to December 2, 2025, for proper arraignment, and directed that fresh hearing notices and charge documents be served on all parties to prevent further delays.
Following US President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), US Senator Ted Cruz has declared that the next step is to hold Nigerian officials accountable.
Cruz is championing the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, a bill designed to protect Christians and other religious minorities from widespread persecution in Nigeria.
After the CPC designation, Trump also warned of possible military action in Nigeria if its leaders failed to protect Christians in the country.
Reacting in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday, Senator Cruz said he has been pushing legislation to designate Nigeria as a CPC and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials responsible for religious persecution.
He thanked President Trump for the designation and for “fighting to stop the murder of Christians in Nigeria.”
According to Cruz, the next step is to hold Nigerian officials accountable, promising to publicly identify them in the coming weeks.
His post reads: “I’ve been pushing legislation to designate Nigeria a CPC and to impose sanctions on the Nigerian officials responsible.
“Thank you to President Trump for his leadership in imposing the designation, and more broadly, for fighting to stop the murder of Christians in Nigeria.
“Now we should take the next step and hold Nigerian officials accountable. I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks.”
Last weekend, Trump declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killings of Christians.
In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump said Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria, describing the alleged killing as a “mass slaughter.”
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” he wrote.
The US president added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole to investigate the matter.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims of Christian genocide in the country.
In September, the Federal government described claims of a systematic genocide against Christians as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said portraying Nigeria’s insecurity as a religious conflict was a gross misrepresentation of reality.
“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is inaccurate and harmful.
“The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians,” he said.
Idris stressed that extremists have attacked citizens of all faiths, noting that Muslims, Christians, and even non-religious Nigerians have suffered alike.
Between May 2023 and February 2025, he said, security forces killed over 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages.
He added that the recent capture of top Ansaru leaders and over 700 convictions of Boko Haram suspects reflected Nigeria’s progress in the fight against terrorism.
“These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith,” the minister stated.
The Oyo State High Court has granted the Peoples Democratic Party approval to proceed with its elective national convention scheduled for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, the state capital.
The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to attend and monitor the exercise, Channels TV reports.
Delivering the ruling, Justice A. L. Akintola issued an interim order permitting the party to continue its convention plans without obstruction.
The decision came after an ex-parte motion filed by Folahan Adelabi against the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; Governor Umaru Fintiri, who heads the National Convention Organising Committee; and the INEC.
In his ruling on Monday, Justice Akintola held that the claimant presented a compelling case that warranted immediate judicial intervention.
“The motion ex-parte has merit and succeeds as prayed,” the judge ruled, granting temporary reliefs that safeguard the party’s schedule and direct all parties to allow the convention to proceed as planned.
The judge subsequently adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion for an interlocutory injunction till November 10, 2025.
The interim order, issued on November 3, 2025, was sealed by the Oyo State High Court and endorsed by its Principal Registrar, S. O. Hammed.
