N27bn Fraud: ‘Taraba LG Funds Were Paid Into My Private Account’— Witness Tells Court
At the trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on Monday, a witness alleged that billions of naira belonging to local government councils were channelled through his private company account and disbursed on the instructions of top government officials.
The witness, Taiwo Johns, who appeared as the third prosecution witness (PW3), before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, told Justice S.C. Oriji that funds from various local government councils in Taraba State were routinely paid into the account of his company, P3 International, before being distributed to designated beneficiaries based on directives from senior officials.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N27 billion fraud involving criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and diversion of public funds.
While being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Johns said P3 International was originally established for agricultural business activities before he joined the civil service as an Assistant Cashier in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
According to him, he was instructed by former Chief Cashier John Columba, former Director of Finance Babangida Hassan and Bello Yero to provide his company’s bank account details for the receipt of funds.
“They asked me to submit the account number so some money would be sent to me and that I should await further instruction on what to do with it,” the witness told the court.
Johns explained that once funds were credited into the account by local government councils, he would notify his superiors and subsequently receive directions on how the money should be handled.
“A few days later, some amount of money was sent to the account by the local government. When the money entered my account, I reported to my chief cashier, John Columba, before I reported to Babangida Hassan, and he reported to Bello Yero before I was given a directive on where to pay the money,” he said.
The witness further testified that he was sometimes instructed to withdraw the funds in cash, while at other times he was directed to transfer the money into accounts supplied by senior officials.
“Sometimes when money comes into this account, I will withdraw the money or leave it in the bank and wait for further instruction. Sometimes I will be given an account number to lodge the money into, while at other times they will come with Lawal, P.A. to His Excellency, and I will hand the money over to him,” he stated.
According to Johns, instructions regarding the movement of funds came from multiple officials within the bureau.
“Sometimes the instruction is given by the permanent secretary, Alhaji Yero, the second defendant; sometimes by the director of finance, Babangida Hassan; and sometimes the cashier of the local government lodges the money into my account, after which I report to my immediate boss,” he added.
Giving details of specific transactions, the witness told the court that N3 million received from a local government council on November 20, 2017, was transferred to another prosecution witness, Prince Onwuzuruike, alongside an additional N2.25 million, bringing the total amount transferred to N5.25 million on the same day.
He further testified that after receiving N7.75 million on February 6, 2018, he was instructed to transfer N6.25 million to the same beneficiary.
Johns also recounted that on April 11, 2018, separate deposits of N5 million, N1.7 million and N1.8 million were paid into his account by former Chief Cashier John Columba, after which he carried out a cash withdrawal on April 16, 2018, following instructions allegedly received from Babangida Hassan.
The witness further told the court that he received N4.77 million on April 26, 2018, and subsequently transferred N4.78 million and N3.22 million to Prince Onwuzuruike on the same day.
According to him, additional deposits of N5.65 million and N4.5 million were made into the account on April 27, 2018, after which he was directed to transfer N4.78 million and N3.37 million to the same recipient.
The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s efforts to establish how funds allegedly earmarked for local government councils in Taraba State were diverted through private accounts.
Following the witness’s testimony, Justice Oriji adjourned proceedings until July 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.