RismadarVoice Reporters
June 15, 2026
The trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, over an alleged N27 billion fraud, continued on Monday before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness testifying that funds from local government councils were paid into his private account and disbursed based on instructions from senior government officials.
The witness, Taiwo Johns, who testified as the Third Prosecution Witness (PW3), told the court that he received funds from various local government councils into the account of his company, P3 International, and acted on directives from officials of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs regarding how the money should be disbursed.
Ishaku is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on a 15-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and diversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness explained that the account was originally used to manage his farming business before he joined the civil service as an Assistant Cashier in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
According to him, former Chief Cashier John Columba, former Director of Finance Babangida Hassan, and former Permanent Secretary Bello Yero directed him to provide his account details for the receipt of funds and instructed him to await further directives on how the money should be handled.
“They asked me to submit the account number so that some money would be sent to me and that I should await further instruction on what to do with the money. A few days later, some amount of money was sent to the account by the local government,” the witness told the court.
He stated that after receiving the funds, he would report to his superiors before receiving instructions on whether to withdraw the money in cash or transfer it to designated accounts.
“Sometimes when money comes into the account, I withdraw the money or leave it in the bank and wait for further instruction. Sometimes I am given account numbers to lodge the money, while at other times they come with Lawal, Personal Assistant to His Excellency, and I hand over the money to him,” he testified.
The witness further told the court that instructions were often issued by Bello Yero, Babangida Hassan, or other senior officials within the bureau.
Giving specific instances, Johns stated that on November 20, 2017, he received funds from a local government council and, based on instructions, transferred N3 million and an additional N2.25 million to Prince Onwuzuruike, who had earlier testified as the Second Prosecution Witness (PW2).
He also disclosed that after receiving N7.75 million on February 6, 2018, he was instructed to transfer N6.25 million to Onwuzuruike.
The witness further testified that on April 11, 2018, he received separate credits of N5 million, N1.7 million, and N1.8 million from the former Chief Cashier, John Columba, and subsequently made cash withdrawals based on instructions from the Director of Finance.
According to him, another credit of N4,767,386.41 was received on April 26, 2018, after which transfers of N4.78 million and N3.22 million were made to Prince Onwuzuruike.
He added that further cash deposits of N5.65 million and N4.5 million were made into the account on April 27, 2018, with instructions to transfer N4.78 million and N3.37 million to the same beneficiary.
Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the matter until July 7, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
The allegations remain before the court, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the law.
