The trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, resumed on Monday at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness alleging that local government funds were routinely paid into his private bank account and disbursed based on directives from senior government officials.
Testifying before Justice S.C. Oriji, the third prosecution witness, Taiwo Johns, told the court that funds originating from local government councils in Taraba State were transferred into the account of his company, P3 International, after which he acted on instructions regarding how the money should be handled.
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, over allegations of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and the diversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
During his testimony, Johns explained that P3 International was originally established for 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, shortly after assuming his role, senior officials, including former Chief Cashier John Columba, former Director of Finance Babangida Hassan and Bello Yero, requested that he submit his account details for the receipt of funds.
He told the court that once the money arrived, he would notify his superiors and await further instructions on whether to withdraw the funds, transfer them to designated accounts or hand them over in cash.
The witness said there were occasions when he received directives to make transfers to specified beneficiaries, while in other instances he was instructed to hand over cash to individuals, including an aide identified as Lawal, who he described as a personal assistant to the governor.
Johns further testified that instructions concerning the disbursement of the funds were usually issued by Yero, Hassan or other senior officials within the bureau.
Giving specific examples, the witness said N3 million was transferred from local government funds into his account on November 20, 2017, after which he was instructed to pay the amount, along with an additional N2.25 million, to another prosecution witness, Prince Onwuzuruike.
He also told the court that on February 6, 2018, he received N7.75 million and was subsequently directed to transfer N6.25 million to the same recipient.
The witness further detailed a series of transactions in April 2018, including multiple deposits and withdrawals allegedly linked to local government allocations.
According to him, funds totalling several millions of naira were credited to his account on different dates, after which he either withdrew cash or transferred portions of the money to designated beneficiaries based on instructions from senior officials.
The testimony forms part of the EFCC’s efforts to establish how funds allegedly moved through private accounts during the period covered by the charges.
Following the proceedings, Justice Oriji adjourned the case until July 7, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
