EFCC Takes Former Governor to Court for Alleged Financial Misconduct

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned the former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, alongside Bello Yero, a former permanent secretary at the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state. The two appeared before Justice S. C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on charges of fraud.

They face a 15-count indictment, which includes allegations of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and the misappropriation of state public funds amounting to ₦27 billion.

One of the charges states: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, while serving as the governor of Taraba State, and you, Bello Yero, in your capacity as the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, between July 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, were entrusted with a sum of ₦1,138,082,097.71, representing part of the 2.5% contingency fund allocated to the Bureau. You dishonestly converted these funds for personal use, thereby committing 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.”

Another charge reads: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and Bello Yero, during your tenure between July 2015 and May 2019, dishonestly misappropriated ₦1,138,082,097.71, part of the Bureau’s 2.5% contingency fund, committing 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 EFCC continues its investigation into the alleged misappropriation of public funds under Ishaku’s administration, with more developments expected in court.