A prosecution witness on Monday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja how about ₦1.8bn allegedly meant for the purchase of grains for Christmas and New Year celebrations in Taraba State was transferred into his company’s account and subsequently withdrawn.
NAIJAONPOINT , Taiwo Johns, testified as the third prosecution witness in the trial of a former Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ishaku and Yero before Justice S.C. Oriji on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and conversion of public funds totalling ₦27bn.
Both defendants have denied the allegations.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Johns said the funds were paid into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone International Nigeria Limited, on the instructions of Yero and other senior officials.
“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.
NAIJAONPOINT alleged that money was transferred from the Gassol Local Government Salary Transmission Account into his company’s account on 69 occasions.
He said records of the transactions contained the dates, debited accounts, beneficiary details and amounts transferred.
Asked to estimate the total amount paid into his company account, Johns said, “The amount will be roughly about ₦1.7bn to ₦1.8bn, on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary, Bello Yero; Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance; and John Columba, the Chief Cashier.”
Johns told the court that after receiving the funds, he reported to the officials, who instructed him either to transfer the money to another person or withdraw it in cash.
“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,” he said.
“After the withdrawal, they came with Dare Lawal, PW1. He would confirm the money, and they would go with it. Sometimes, Alhaji Bello Yero, the Permanent Secretary, would come and take it to the Government House.”
Asked how he knew the cash was taken to Government House, NAIJAONPOINT said he sometimes drove Yero there.
“Sometimes, I would 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,” Johns alleged.
NAIJAONPOINT said ₦100m was paid into the P3 Cornerstone account on December 24, 2018.
According to him, the payment was prepared by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and authorised by the Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance.
He said the electronic payment narration stated that the money was for the purchase of assorted grains to be distributed during Christmas and New Year.
“The last transaction is ₦100m for the purchase of assorted grains for distribution during Christmas,” Johns said while being taken through an exhibit.
“The ₦100m was withdrawn by me, all in cash. It was handed over to Dare Lawal by me.”
NAIJAONPOINT also identified another cheque payment of ₦30m into his company’s account.
Jacobs asked NAIJAONPOINT whether the money was used to purchase the assorted grains stated in the payment description.
“Did you buy any grain?” the prosecutor asked.
“No, sir,” Johns replied.
Following the testimony, Justice Oriji adjourned the case until July 14, 2026, for continuation of trial.
