A prosecution witness, Mr. Ismail Lawal, on Tuesday told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court that former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, gave him $5,000 to relocate to Lagos to avoid the scrutiny of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had, on Sept. 30, 2024, arraigned Ishaku and a former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on a 15-count charge of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
Testifying before Justice Sylvania Oriji, Lawal alleged that the former governor instructed him to evade the EFCC’s investigation by staying away.
“I was informed that the EFCC needed me for questioning on June 12, 2021. However, the former governor told me not to appear at their office and gave me $5,000 to relocate to Lagos,” Lawal said.
According to the witness, he remained in Lagos for nearly two years, moving between hotels until EFCC operatives traced and arrested him at a hotel in Magodo.
Lawal, a former system analyst with Excelarc Partners—an organization owned by Ishaku—recounted how he became the governor’s personal assistant during his tenure as Minister of State for Power in 2012 and continued to work with him when he assumed office as governor in 2015.
“I was responsible for managing the former governor’s mails, running errands, and collecting money from the accounts section of the Government House in Jalingo. I followed his instructions on how the money should be handled,” Lawal testified.
The witness added that he was paid a monthly salary of N130,000 in cash by the former governor and was frequently informed by government officials in Jalingo whenever funds were transferred to his bank accounts.
“They always called to notify me when money meant for His Excellency had been deposited. I would then withdraw the funds and deliver them to him,” Lawal stated.
During cross-examination, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), presented Lawal’s Zenith Bank account statements and a CCTV recording showing him withdrawing money from a UBA branch in Jabi, Abuja. Despite objections by defence counsels P.H. Ogbole (SAN) and Adeila Adedipe (SAN), the court admitted the documents as exhibits.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case to Jan. 28 for the continuation of the hearing.
