EFCC docks Kachia/Kagarko Reps member over alleged N185 million advanced fee fraud

A serving member of the House of Representatives, Gabriel Saleh Zock was on Thursday at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja arraigned over alleged advanced fees fraud.

Zock who represents Kachia Kagarko Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the House of Representatives was put on trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 2-count charge of allegedly defrauding his victim to the tune of N185 million.

The House of Representatives member was said to have swindled one Adeyemi Kamar of the amount under alleged false pretences.

He had promised to assist the victim influence the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT to secure the Right of Occupancy (R of O) for his property at the Guzape area of Abuja.

However, when the charges were read to him, the lawmaker pleaded not guilty.

EFCC’s counsel, Maryam Aminu Ahmed asked the court to remand the federal lawmaker in prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.

The lawmaker who was brought to court from EFCC custody has no legal representation to make case for hearing of his bail motion already filed.

In a bid to rescue him, Justice Halilu Yusuf appointed one Adebara Adeniyi as counsel for him for the purpose of arraignment and bail.

The EFCC counsel, however, stood her ground that the application of the defendant filed on February 9 was not ripe for hearing and that she needed to study and respond to all the fundamental issues raised in the bail motion.

Although Adeniyi made an oral application for the bail of the federal lawmaker with cogent reasons, Justice Yusuf overruled him on the ground that a written application had already been filled by another lawyer.

The Judge subsequently ordered that the lawmaker be remanded in the EFCC’S custody till February 16 when his bail motion would be ripe for hearing.

The charge read in part “That you, Gabriel Saleh Zock sometime in 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N 150,000,000 00) from one Adeyemi Kamar under the false pretence that you will facilitate and obtain title documents (Right of Occupancy) from the Federal Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for a parcel of land at Guzape District, measuring approximately 1 5Ha (Hectare) which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other a Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3 of the same Act.

“That you, Gabriel Saleh Zock sometime in 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Thirty-Five Million Naira (N 35,000,000.00) from one Adeyemi Kamar under the false pretence that you will facilitate and obtain title documents (Right of Occupancy) from the Federal Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for a parcel of land at Guzape District, Cadastral Zone A09, measuring approximately 1,500sqm which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

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UPDATE: Seven Killed, Houses, Bridge Destroyed in Three Southern Kaduna Communities

… Terrorists destroyed bridge linking communities to prevent security from coming to help, residents say

No fewer than seven people have been confirmed killed, many houses and a bridge destroyed across three communities in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state after terrorists launched s deadly attack on Wednesday morning.

The communities attacked are; Zaman Dabo, Chibob and Sabon Kaura.

A source who gave his name as Timothy told this newspaper that the attackers invaded the communities in their hundreds and operated simultaneously across the three communities.

“The attacked the three villages at the same time. They were more than hundred in number.

“They operated for over two hours, burning several houses in the process. We cannot ascertain the number of houses burnt at the moment because the destruction was massive.

“They killed one person in Zaman Dabo and killed six in Chibob and Sabon Kaura.

“They also took their time to destroyed the only bridge kinking the communities.” Timothy said.

This is not the first time terrorists attacking communities in the Middle Belt region are destroying pedestrian bridges. In August 2021, terrorists burnt down a pedestrian bridges after a deadly attack that left scores dead in Yelwan Zangam community in Jos, Plateau state. The military said the destroyed bridge prevented them from accessing the community on time during the attack.

This newspaper had reported on Wednesday morning of an attack in Zaman Dabo even though details of casualties and destruction wasn’t available as at that time.

The renewed attack in Southern Kaduna is causing panic as most residents are abandoning their communities for the IDP camps in Zonkwa, a youth leader told this newspaper on condition of anonymity.

“People are leaving their houses for the IDP camps in Zonkwa as we speak.

“The IDP camps are already overstretched at the moment but more people are trooping in for fear that their communities will be attacked soon.” He said.

Resident of Zangon Kataf also confirmed that the security forces on ground are inadequate to tackle the rising cases of attacks in communities in the local government.