Former Taraba Governor Darius Ishaku Arrested by EFCC For Alleged 8bn Fraud

The immediate past Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Darius Ishaku, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged breach of trust and misappropriation of funds belonging to local government areas of the state.

Ishaku, who was governor of Taraba State between 2015 and 2023, was said to have committed the act between 2016 and 2021.

A source at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency confirmed Ishaku was arrested on Friday morning at his Abuja residence and would be arraigned any moment from now, following the filing of the charges against him at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

When contacted, the spokesman of the Commission, Mr. Dele Oyewale, who refused to comment on the issue however confirmed the arrest of the former governor.

Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, are to answer to charges of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds belonging to LGAs in Taraba state, during the administration of Ishaku.

The suit marked: CR/792/2024, filed by the Commission’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, was dated September 26, but filed September 27.

A copy seen by THISDAY, showed that the count one read: “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 August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, 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, 010, 000, 000 (One Billion and Ten Million Naira), which sum formed part of the 25% contingency funds 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 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.

In count three, the defendants were said to have, “between July, 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1, 138, 082, 097.71, which sum formed part of the 25% 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.”

In count four, they were alleged to have between July 2015 and May 2019 dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N1, 138, 082, 097.71, being part of the 25 percent contingency fund belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State.

Count 13 read: “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 May, ‘ 2015 and December 2015 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 N90, 000, 000 (Ninety Million Naira), which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and you hereby 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. 

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