Darius Ishaku

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has granted former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku permission to travel to Dubai for medical examination and surgery.

Justice Slyvanus Oriji approved the request on Tuesday after Ishaku’s lawyer, Chris Umar, filed the application before the court. The prosecution did not object to the request.

Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case until October 5, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

Ishaku and Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary in the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, are facing a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and the alleged diversion of public funds. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, prosecution witness Taiwo Johns continued his testimony on the alleged diversion of funds meant for the purchase and distribution of Christmas grains in Taraba State.

Johns, an official of the Taraba Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, told the court that local government councils transferred money into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone International Nigeria Limited, through several transactions in July 2019.

He identified Donga, Zing, Gassol, and Yorro local government areas as some of the councils that made the payments.

The witness further testified that N3 million paid into his company’s account by Yorro Local Government on July 22, 2019, was later withdrawn and handed over to Bello Yero, who took the money to the Government House.

He also told the court: “On July 24, 2019, Blessed Springs Modern Communication credited my account with N4.4 million.

“On that day, I reported to my superior, Babangida Hassan, the director of finance. On the same date, he gave an instruction on the account the money would be transferred to, which he said was a directive from above.

“On the same July 24, 2019, there were two transfers of N10 million each, into the P3 Cornerstone account. I reported the same to my boss.

“The two N10 million was paid into my account by the same person, Henrietta Meepatan, I withdrew N6 million, N5million and N1million.”

On Monday, Johns had told the court that N1.8 billion earmarked for the purchase of Christmas grains was diverted through his company’s account. He said the transfers were carried out on the instruction of Yero, his former superior, in 69 separate transactions.

Ishaku served as governor of Taraba State from 2015 to 2023.

Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State has been accused of being a Muslim-hater. The allegation was made by an Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) which claimed it has evidence that the governor has been sacking Muslim workers without following due process and replacing them with his Christian brethren.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the group on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. The statement was signed by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

It reads:

“Contrary to the false public image of a Christian state governor who promotes peaceful and harmonious coexistence between Christians and Muslims under him, we have incontrovertible evidence that Governor Darius Ishaku has been using his office to put Muslims at a disadvantage through several administrative manoeuvres and misadventures.

“The governor recently claimed that the Taraba Muslim Council which accused him of marginalising Muslims in the state was inciting religious tension but that is far from the truth. The governor is simply trying to cover his tracks. But the wind has blown and we have seen the ruff of the hen.

“The truth is that Ishaku’s reckless violation of Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims in his state is legendary. Although our office has been inundated with complaints of discrimination against Muslims, we will cite just one example today for the economy of space.

“The case of Mallam Nasiru Audu Baba is most striking. He was unceremoniously and illegally removed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Taraba Microfinance Bank Limited in 2012. But the governor suspended him from office in 2016 without any reason and without a board resolution. The Central Bank rejected the suspension on grounds of lack of due process.

“But Governor Ishaku ignored the Central Bank’s advice and went ahead to set up a kangaroo committee which, however, neither indicted Mallam Nasiru nor the board of the bank. Nevertheless, the governor illegally terminated Mallam Nasiru’s appointment. The termination of his appointment was retroactive as it was issued on 13^th February 2018 but with effect from 30^th September 2016. Expectedly, a Christian woman was appointed in his place.

“Though a federal high court gave judgement in favour of Mallam Nasiru and the board of the bank. Instead of obeying the court order, Taraba State Government went to the appellate court which ruled that the matter should be taken to the industrial court.

“Mallam Nasiru and the board headed to the Supreme Court which is yet to determine the case. This and many other atrocities were committed against Taraba Muslims by Governor Ishaku. Although the board of the MicroFinance Bank renewed his appointment for another five years, his suspension and subsequent backdated dismissal was a manifestation of tyranny while the appointment of a Christian in his place exposed the governor’s tortuous policy of religious discrimination and favouritism.

“Governor Ishaku thinks nothing can be done to him by the Muslims since he is rounding up his second term but he has miscalculated. Many past governors are in the senate today because of their good performance while in office. Some of them are also aspiring to become ministers or the president of Nigeria.

MURIC’s advice to governors who are Muslim-haters like Ishaku, Ortom, Wike and Seyi Makinde is that they should not attempt to occupy any federal office. We have blacklisted Muslim-haters and Nigerian Muslims will ensure that they never get there.”