EFCC Investigates Baba Ijebu Over Alleged Multi-billion Naira Tax Fraud!

Nigeria’s gambling mogul, Adebutu Kessington, popularly known as Baba Ijebu, is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged tax fraud and economic sabotage.

During the investigation on Tuesday, the businessman’s son, Segun Adebutu was questioned and detained by anti-graft detectives at the EFCC office in Lagos.

According to anti-graft officials, Mr Adebutu’s business activities became a subject of their suspicion following a petition from another betting company, Western Lotto. The December 2019 petition from Western Lotto, run by politician Buruji Kashamu, asked the EFCC to investigate billions of Naira in lost government revenues and tax fraud against Mr Adebutu’s Premier Lotto.

Officials revealed they have identified at least N5billion in revenue losses against the government since the investigation began, directly blaming the management of Premier Lotto for allegedly shortchanging Nigerians.

Segun Adebutu is one of at least four children who are management officials at Premier Lotto. Some of them are also top executives of the regulatory federal lottery board.

Before now, Baba Ijebu has been widely hailed as pioneering inclusive gambling in Nigeria and shooting it into the mainstream. Although it was only in 2001 that he registered Premier Lotto, the betting franchise that accounts for the largest share of his wealth.