The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed at least fifteen charges against the former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, in connection with a ₦27 billion fraud.
EFCC officials arrested the former governor from his Abuja residence during the early hours of Friday, September 27.
Ishaku will face trial on charges that include criminal breach of trust, misappropriation, and embezzlement of public funds. The alleged offenses reportedly took place between 2015 and 2021, during his tenure as governor, involving both state and local government funds.
One of the accusations claims that Ishaku illegally diverted ₦1.01 billion from the 2.5% reserve fund of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between August 2015 and March 2016.
The former governor is also accused of misappropriating ₦3.348 billion from local government council funds for personal use, alongside another ₦639 million allegedly taken for his own benefit. Additionally, Ishaku is said to have siphoned ₦1.138 billion from the same reserve fund between July 2015 and May 2019, as well as ₦193 million from the Donga Local Government Council’s funds.
Further charges allege that Ishaku embezzled ₦650 million from the Gassol Local Government Council, ₦170 million from Gashaka Local Government Council, and ₦201 million from the Ardo Kola Local Government Council.
Moreover, the ex-governor is accused of using government funds to purchase a duplex in Abuja, as well as diverting ₦761 million to pay off a loan for his company, Worthy Construction Limited.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, has confirmed the allegations, and the formal charge sheet outlines specific offenses.
The charge sheet reads in part: “That you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, while serving as the Governor of Taraba State, and BELLO YERO, as Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, dishonestly diverted ₦1.01 billion, part of the 2.5% contingency funds, for your personal use. This offense violates Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and is punishable under the same section.”
Another charge states, “Between September 3, 2015, and January 29, 2018, you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, as Governor of Taraba State, misused ₦761,301,000, a portion of funds belonging to Taraba State Government and local councils. You dishonestly diverted this sum to repay a ₦1 billion loan from Zenith Bank to your company, Worthy Construction Limited, committing a criminal breach of trust in violation of Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007.”
Ishaku is expected to stand trial in the coming weeks.
