Ex-Taraba Governor Darius Ishaku Allegedly Gave $5,000 to Aide to Evade EFCC Investigation

A prosecution witness, Ismail Lawal, informed a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday that the former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, provided him $5,000 to relocate to Lagos during an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)....CONTINUE READING>>>

The EFCC had arraigned Ishaku alongside Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, on September 30, 2024. The duo faces 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and diversion of public funds totaling N27 billion.

Testifying in court, Lawal revealed that Ishaku gave him the funds to facilitate his relocation after learning of the EFCC’s probe.

Lawal stated that he was initially employed in 2011 as a system analyst by Excelarc Partners, a firm owned by Ishaku. In 2012, he became a personal assistant to Ishaku when the latter was appointed Minister of State for Power.

Later, when Ishaku assumed office as the governor of Taraba State in 2015, Lawal said he continued working as his personal assistant.

“I was in charge of the former governor’s mails, ran errands for him, and collected money from the accounts section of the Government House in Jalingo, following his instructions on how to handle the funds,” Lawal stated while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.

Lawal disclosed that he received a monthly cash salary of N130,000 from Ishaku.

He further testified, “I was informed that the EFCC needed me for questioning on June 12, 2021. I was ready to cooperate, but the former governor advised me against appearing before the EFCC. Instead, he told me to stay away.”

Lawal explained that he relocated to Lagos and spent nearly two years moving between hotels to evade EFCC detection. However, EFCC officials eventually tracked him to a hotel in Magodo, Lagos, and arrested him.

Following his arrest, Lawal was transferred to Abuja. During questioning, he was shown CCTV footage capturing him withdrawing money from a UBA branch in Jabi, Abuja. His bank statements from Zenith Bank accounts were also presented as evidence.

Despite objections from the defense counsel—P.H. Ogbole, SAN, for Ishaku, and Adeila Adedipe, SAN, for Yero—the prosecution succeeded in tendering Lawal’s bank statements, which the court admitted as exhibits.

Lawal explained that each time funds were deposited into his account, he would receive a call from either Chindo Audu, the Permanent Secretary of the Government House in Jalingo, or Galenya Lydia, the Director of Finance.

“They would inform me that the money was meant for His Excellency and instruct me to withdraw and deliver it to him (Ishaku),” Lawal said.

Justice Sylvania Oriji adjourned the hearing until January 28, 2025, for further proceedings.