The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Taraba State governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and the former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, over an alleged N27 billion fraud.
The two were brought before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, September 30, 2024.
They are facing a 15-count charge that includes criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and the conversion of public funds.
This was disclosed in a statement posted on the EFCC’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
One of the charges accuses the former governor and permanent secretary of diverting over N1.1 billion from the 2.5% contingency fund for the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between 2015 and 2019. The funds were allegedly misused for personal gain, violating Section 315 of the Penal Code Act.
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.”
The statement further reads that Darius Dickson Ishaku, while being the governor of Taraba State, and Bello Yero, while serving as the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between July 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated property amounting to approximately N1.14 billion.
This sum, which was part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, led to 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.
The statement noted that they both pled not guilty when the charges were read, prompting prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, to request a trial date and accelerated hearing.
In response, 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 to Thursday, October 3, for hearing on bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody. Both were arrested on September 27, 2024.