A prosecution witness has revealed how N1.8 billion meant for the purchase of Christmas and New Year grains for Taraba State residents was allegedly diverted into a private company account.
The witness, Taiwo Johns, who testified as PW3 on Monday, July 13, 2026, before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, disclosed this during the trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and the former Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Ishaku and Yero on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Johns told the court that the sum of N1,800,000,000 was transferred into his company account, P3 Cornerstone International Nigeria Limited, from one of the Local Government Salary Transmission Accounts.
He stated that all payments to his company were made on the directive of his superiors.
“All the money paid to P3 Cornerstone was based on the directive of my boss, Alhaji Bello Yero, the Permanent Secretary; Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance; and John Columba, the Chief Cashier, my immediate boss,” he said.
According to the witness, the defendants transferred funds to his accounts 69 times, all of which were from the Gassol Local Government. He said the transfers contained details such as serial numbers, dates, account numbers debited and credited, and the amounts involved.
When asked about the total amount received, he responded: “The amount will be roughly about N1.7bn to N1.8billion. On the instructions of the Permanent Secretary, Bello Yero, Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance and John Columba, the Chief Cashier.”
According to Johns who explained how the funds were handled after hitting his account, “I reported back to them that some money entered my account, then they gave me further directives either to send it to Mr Prince, that is PW2 or to withdraw some and after the withdrawal they came with Dare Lawal, PW1, he will confirm the money, and they will go with the money.
“Sometimes, Alhaji Bello Yero, the Permanent Secretary, will come and take it to the government house.”
Asked how he knew the money was taken to Government House, he said, “Sometimes I will carry him, the second defendant and drop him at the government house with the money in a Ghana Must Go bag, drop him and then go.”
He further revealed that on December 24, 2018, N100 million was paid into his account with the narration “purchase of assorted grains to be distributed during Christmas and New Year.” The payment was prepared by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and authorised by the Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance.
“My lord, you may wish to know that the account is a business account. I wait for instruction, so when the money came in, the N100 million was withdrawn by me all in cash, it was handed over to Dare Lawal by me,” he told the court.
When asked directly by the prosecution if he bought any grains, he replied: “No, sir.”
He added that the Gassol Local Government Salary Transmission Account was often used for salaries, projects, revenue and other purposes.
Justice Oriji adjourned the matter to July 14, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
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