₦airaland Forum

On Monday, September 30, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, alongside Bello Yero, the former permanent secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

News360 Nigeria reports that the arraignment took place before Justice S. C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

The two are facing a 15-count charge that includes criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and the misappropriation of public funds amounting to N27 billion.

These charges are part of a wider investigation into alleged financial misconduct during Ishaku’s tenure as governor of Taraba State.

Both defendants have been accused of diverting public funds meant for development projects in the state.

One of the charges reads: “That you Darius Dickson Ishaku whilst being the governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July, 2015 and May, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety- Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.”

Another reads: “That you Darius Dickson Ishaku whilst being the governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero, whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July, 2015 and May, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety-Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo, which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Act.”

They pled “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN to ask the court for a trial date as well as accelerated hearing on the matter, while Paul Haris Ogbole, SAN and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel to Ishaku and Yero respectively made oral bail applications which Jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications.

Justice Oriji, adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 3, for hearing on bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC’s custody. Both defendants were arrested on September 27, 2024.

Tochi3:


..EFCC has always been a political tool to go after any form of opposition or against any individual not supporting the government in power... ;

..what EFCC has become under the hands of the worst tribalists in Nigeria is better not omagined...the Organisation is now ethnic based using tribalism as a reason to hunt those against the parapo emilokan maladministration of Thief'nubu..

..the present status of that useless agency is now at thesame level with a Circus Arena where parapo clowns & agberos adopts rascality which they see as "due process"..

..agberos are now controlling the parapo agency..

..the illiterate :Drascal chairman promised to resign if yahaya Bello is not brought to book...

..emilokan clowns should meet the future sophisticated governor of Lagoon..whether they like it or not..

shivisee:
When griefgory obi people talk,you will know from their senseless losers position, they will always wail and grief! As they have swear to always wail!May wailing and griefness never depart from their households!

maberry:
No good person for this country?

tojahh:
Baba no fear. No prison sentence for you.

Flat dey with every amenity for steady enjoyment. You sef no small. EFCC na water.

Tochi3:


..EFCC has always been a political tool to go after any form of opposition or against any individual not supporting the government in power... ;

..what EFCC has become under the hands of the worst tribalists in Nigeria is better not omagined...the Organisation is now ethnic based using tribalism as a reason to hunt those against the parapo emilokan maladministration of Thief'nubu..

..the present status of that useless agency is now at thesame level with a Circus Arena where parapo clowns & agberos adopts rascality which they see as "due process"..

..agberos are now controlling the parapo agency..

..the illiterate rascal chairman promised to resign if yahaya Bello is not brought to book...

..emilokan clowns should meet the future sophisticated governor of Lagoon..whether they like it or not..

Kog45:
Very painful and lamentation comment.It’s well bro.

diamond68:
where do they keep 27 billion ? it cant be in bank accounts. FDIC only covers a tiny amount if the bank collapses