Lawyer asks court to revoke telecoms firm’s licence over alleged illegal lottery
on MAY 4, 2011 · · in NEWS

By Innocent Anaba

LAGOS – A Lagos lawyer, Benjamin Owiadolor, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to order the Nigerian Telecommunications Commission, NCC, to revoke the licence of Airtel Nigeria Limited for allegedly operating an illegal lottery.

Owiadolor in the suit, is urging the court to mandate Airtel to refund all money expended by subscribers, who participated in the competition known as “wake up a millionaire promo” by way of credit, which should be done under the NCC supervision.

The plaintiff also want the court to declare that the promo embarked upon by Airtel, without the requisite licence from the National Lotteries Regulations Commission, NLRC, is illegal and a contravention of the provisions of the NLRC Act and Lotteries and Pools Betting Laws of Lagos State.

He is also is seeking against Airtel, N1 million special and general damages for the considerable harm, mental and physical disturbances and untold trauma he suffered as a result of the invasion of his privacy through the sending of unwarranted text messages by Airtel.

But Airtel in its statement of defence, insisted that the “wake up a millionaire promo” was not illegally organised as necessary regulatory approvals were secured from the NLRC before it embarked on the competition.

It adding that the promo was not intended to mislead, defraud or rip-off the plaintiff or any other participant of their money, describing the suit an abuse of court process


source : http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/lawyer-asks-court-to-revoke-telecoms-firms-licence-over-alleged-illegal-lottery/