Ex-council boss arrested for illegal enrichment

Operatives of Nigeria’s  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Kasimu Lawal Abubakar (a.k.a Abasco), the former Chairman of Sabon Gari Local Government,  Zaria, Kaduna State.
The arrest followed a petition alleging that the former council boss abused his office to enrich himself.
Other allegations contained in the petition include illegal acquisition of properties worth billions of naira.
In the course of investigating the allegations, operatives of the Commission stormed the council only to discover that evidence would assist the investigation had been destroyed in an inferno that gutted the council secretariat building, particularly the Treasury Department.
However in the course of executing a search warrant at the home of the suspect, several official documents belonging to the local government including, but not limited to original copies of payment schedule of the local government staff, tax clearance certificates and official files of the local government that are not supposed to be in his custody, as  an ex- official of the council, were recovered.
Further investigation uncovered properties acquired by the council chief while he held sway between 2007 and 2011, first as interim chairman and later as substantive Chairman.
The properties scattered in different locations in the state include a farm house, private school, (ABC Academy, Zaria which is an acronym of his nick name Abasco), residential houses and a block industry all in Kaduna State.
Apart from the alleged properties, it was also been discovered that the suspect converted some of the local government properties to his personal use.
The suspect has made useful statement while investigation continues.