N27bn Fraud: Ex-Taraba Gov, Ishaku To Be Arraigned On Monday

Darius Ishaku, former governor of Taraba State, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday over an alleged N27 billion fraud may be arraigned on Monday.

This newspaper learnt that Ishaku, who is entitled to administrative bail when he meets the conditions by the EFCC, would have his day in court on Monday.

EFCC operatives arrested Ishaku on Friday in his Abuja residence.

Spokesman of the agency, Dele Oyewale, who confirmed the arrest, declined further comments.

The agency’s sources said the former governor was still in their custody at the time of filing this report.

The sources added that at least 15 charges had been filed against Ishaku and he would be arraigned in court as evidence against him had been compiled.

Ishaku, who left office in 2023 after serving as governor for eight years, was reported to have been picked up at his Abuja residence early Friday.

In a copy of the charge sheet dated September 27, obtained by our correspondent on Friday, the former governor and the former Permanent Secretary of Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, are listed as defendants.

In the suit marked CR/792/24, filed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, the EFCC accused the defendants of diverting the sum of N1,010,000,000 to their personal use between August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, in Abuja.

The agency said the amount formed part of the 2.5 per cent contingency funds belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The EFCC noted that the duo committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.

Ishaku and Yero were also accused of diverting an aggregate sum of N1,138,082, 097.71 which formed part of the 2.5 per cent contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between July 2015 and May 2019.

Also, between September 3, 2015, and January 29, 2018, in Abuja, the defendants were accused of diverting the sum of N761,301,000 to defray the loan of N1bn granted by Zenith Bank Plc. to your company, Worthy Construction Limited.

“That you 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 19, 2019 and February 5, 2021 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 N3,348,942,411.15, which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you thereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use,” the charge sheet partly read.

Other sums that allegedly formed part of the contingency fund diverted by the defendants include N650,686,369.99 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021; N193,030,000 between January 2019 and April 29, 2021; and N170,549,842.00 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021, among others.