Segun Adebutu, son of renowned lottery figure, Kensington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu, is not in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) contrary to reports by some online news platforms, a family source has said.
The source said Adebutu was neither arrested by the EFCC or any other law enforcement agency. “The businessman merely opted to go to the EFCC on behalf of his father concerning a petition filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu, an Ogun State politician and the owner of rival lottery company, Western Lotto.”
Thisislagos.ng in a report on Wednesday said Adebutu was spotted at popular Ikoyi lounge, The W, late Tuesday till the early hours of Wednesday in the company of employees and potential business partners.
Kashamu, however, continues to deny his involvement in a drug-related case in the US.
“What we learnt is that Buruji Kashamu said he has sole rights to ‘Ghana Games’ in Nigeria,” an official said under anonymity because the lottery commission is still considering a unified response to the EFCC investigation. “But he should not burn down the entire industry to further his business interests.”
Kashamu was recently a rival to another of Adebutu’s sons, Ladi, in the race for the Ogun State governorship seat.
A civil society organisation, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC), cautioned EFCC against being used to settle political scores.
The group’s convener, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said in a statement: “Our attention has been drawn to a petition written against Baba Ijebu’s premier lotto by Western Lotto company, owned by a controversial businessman who is wanted in the United States, Buruji Kashamu.
“The EFCC which is yet to act on a number of petitions written by unencumbered Nigerians against some prominent politicians in the country for trading in vote-buying, has now found it so cheap to go after Baba Ijebu’s lotto company, acting on a petition from a fugitive.
“If there is indeed a reason to write petition against any company over tax evasion, the appropriate agency to first write is the FIRS, which has the power to invite the EFCC to do the needful, but Buruji chose to directly engage the EFCC to serve his political interest.”
