The Nigerian National Lottery Regulation Commission (NLRC) has been accused this week of ‘fraud bothering on official malfeasance’ by the civil rights organisation, Network for Best Practice and Integrity in Leadership (NEBPRIL).
According to a report in the Nigerian Independent, NEBPRIL accused the lottery regulator of allowing and enabling acts that “bother on official deceit, financial fraud, administrative infractions, impunity and other forms of official misconduct, that run contrary to the civil/public service rules, Procurement Act as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Act”.
NEBPRIL’s claimed objectives are transparency, integrity and democratic accountability in public service. Its Chairman, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, revealed in a statement that it has petitioned multiple groups of authoritative boards including the Ministry of Special Duties, to investigate the allegations of financial fraud in the Commission.
In his statement, Ogene alleged that figures within the Commission “sought clarifications on about 143 bank transactions that were made using the bank accounts of about 20 specific staff members at different times. It should be noted, and curiously too, those 20 staffers are mostly from the Finance & Accounts, Internal Audit departments and the office of the Director-General”.
Meanwhile, NLRC is yet to respond to the allegations in any official capacity, although the Director General has indicated that investigations are ongoing into any potential fraudulent activities within the Commission.