A prosecution witness, Ismail Lawal, revealed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday that former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, allegedly gave him $5,000 to relocate to Lagos to avoid questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had arraigned Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on September 30, 2024.
The duo faces a 15-count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and the alleged diversion of N27 billion in public funds.
While testifying, Lawal, a former system analyst with Excelarc Partners—owned by Ishaku—claimed he received the money after the ex-governor learned of the EFCC’s investigation.
According to Lawal, he first worked as Ishaku’s personal assistant when the latter became governor in 2015.
“I handled the former governor’s correspondence, ran errands, and collected money from the accounts section of the Government House in Jalingo. I acted based on his instructions regarding the funds,” he stated.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Lawal disclosed that his monthly salary of N130,000 was paid in cash. He also recounted events leading up to his relocation in 2021 when he was informed of the EFCC’s interest in questioning him.
“I was ready to appear before the EFCC on June 12, 2021, but the former governor instructed me to stay away,” Lawal said.
Adding that, “he arranged for me to relocate to Lagos, where I lived in different hotels for nearly two years. Despite this, EFCC officials eventually tracked me to a hotel in Magodo.”
Following his arrest, Lawal was transferred from Lagos to Abuja, where he was shown CCTV footage allegedly capturing him withdrawing money from a UBA branch in Jabi, Abuja. His Zenith Bank account statements were also presented as evidence during the trial.
Despite objections from defense lawyers P.H. Ogbole, SAN, representing Ishaku, and Adeila Adedipe, SAN, representing Yero, Justice Sylvania Oriji admitted Lawal’s bank statements as exhibits.
Lawal further alleged that funds were regularly deposited into his accounts by senior officials, including Chindo Audu, the Permanent Secretary of the Government House in Jalingo, and Galenya Lydia, the Director of Finance.
“They would call to inform me the money was meant for His Excellency, and I was instructed to withdraw and hand it over to him,” he claimed.
The case was observed to have been adjourned by Justice Oriji to January 28, 2025, for the continuation of the hearing.