Alleged N27bn Fraud: Court grants bail to ex-Taraba governor Ishaku, co-defendant

The judge, earlier on Monday, ordered former governor Ishaku and his co-defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody following their arraignment on N27 billion fraud charges.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, granted bail to former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, who is facing 27 billion fraud charges.

The court granted the bail to him and his co-defendant, Bello Yero, in the sum of N150 million.

The co-defendant, Mr Yero was, at the time of the alleged crimes, the Permanent Secretary, the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Mr Ishaku was governor.

The trial judge, S.C. Oriji, ordered each of the defendants to provide two sureties each for the bail to become effective. The sureties must be residents of Abuja, and their house addresses must be verified by the registrar of the court, Mr Oriji ruled.

Mr Oriji had ordered the defendants’ remand in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after their arraignment on Monday.

The former governor and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to each of the 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and illegal conversion of public funds involving N27 billion local government funds during Monday’s arraignment.

After the defendants entered a not-guilty plea, their lawyers, Paul Ogbole, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and Oluwadamilola Kayode, made oral applications for their clients’ bail.

In response, EFCC’s lead counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, a SAN, opposed the bail request, insisting that the defence must file a formal application.

However, on Thursday, the prosecutor said he had no objection to the bail application. He explained that EFCC already granted them administrative bail which they did not breach.

The judge then granted them bail and adjourned till 4 November for trial.

Charges

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Messrs Ishaku and Yero were arrested by the EFCC on 25 September in connection with the charges.

EFCC accused them in the charges of diverging a cumulative sum of N27 billion from the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State and certain local governments in the state.

The commission said the defendants diverted the money to their personal use.

An instance of the alleged crimes, according to the EFCC, involved about N1 billion allegedly diverted to the personal use of the defendants between 25 August 2015 and 21 March 2016.

EFCC also alleged that they also diverted N650,686,369.99 between 6 January 2019, and 29 April 2021.

The charges also include N193.03 million allegedly diverted between January 2019 and April 2021.

EFCC also alleged the diversion of N170,549,842 between 6 January 2019 and 29 April 2021, among others.

The commission alleged that the defendants committed the offences of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation while Mr Ishaku served as governor from 2015 to May 2023. At the time, Mr Yero was also said to be the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Before becoming governor, Mr Ishaku held several ministerial roles, including overseeing the power and environment ministries. He also ran for the Senate, hoping to represent the Taraba South Senatorial District after completing his tenure as governor. But the hope was dashed as he was defeated in the election, which was held in the twilight of his time as governor.