Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Gaming and Lotto Commission says it has nabbed 21 underage boys indulging in lotto/games at an outlet in Independence Layout area of Enugu metropolis.
According to the commission, the apprehended underage children ranged between the ages of 12 and 15 years.
They were nabbed at about 1:30p.m. and handed over to the state Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu, for further actions.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prince Arinze Arum, who disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu said that the apprehension of the underage lotto/game stakers and unlicensed lotto/gaming outlet owner were part of ongoing moves to sanitise the system in the state.
He said that underage gaming would never gain ground as the commission is working closely with other governmental ministries, agencies, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders to totally eradicate it in the state.
He said that the commission had set a up task-force and monitoring teams to ensure that unlicensed, unregulated, underage and unethical practices do not have a place in the lotto/gaming industry in the state.
The executive secretary said that the commission had strengthened its regulations, adding that “we want to work proactively to stop underage gaming and not to treat it.”
He said: “Today, we received a tip off from some patriotic members of the public at about noon that underage children and school children are crowded in a gaming outlets and playing games; and we verified and it was true.
“The commission quickly mobilised and contacted the state Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development and we stormed the outlet and apprehended the underage (children) and profiled them immediate as well as handed them over to the ministry.
“We shut down the outlet, handed over the owner of the outlet, which is not licensed by the commission, to the police for prosecution in accordance with the statutory legal provision regulating lotto and gaming in the state.
“The task-force and monitoring teams will continue to comb streets and roads of Enugu and other metropolises to ensure that unlicensed lotto/gaming outlets do not operate and those duly licensed operate within the ambit of statutory regulations.”
Arum said that the commission would ensure that any lotto/gaming outlet with a single underage within its business area, shop or outlet is shutdown henceforth to serve as deterrent and ensure proactive tackling of the vice.
The executive secretary called on parents to create time to observe and monitor their children to ensure they remain in school during school hours as well as monitor their peers and friends within their neighbourhoods and schools.
“The school authorities should help us ensure that no child leaves the school and heads to a gaming outlet to play or learn the act of playing lotto or games.
“This is a collective fight by all and the state government is calling on all patriotic residents to continue to alert us and we assure prompt verification of any actionable information extended to the commission,” he said.
