Ex-Taraba Governor's Trial: Witness Details Funds Transfer for Christmas Grains

A witness has detailed how local governments in Nigeria's Taraba State were allegedly directed to transfer funds to a private company for the purchase of Christmas grains during the administration of former Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku. Taiwo Johns, the third prosecution witness, testified on July 14, 2026, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

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All the money paid to P3 Cornerstone was based on the directives of my boss, Alhaji Bello Yero, the permanent secretary; Babangida Hassan, the director of finance and John Columba, the chief cashier, who was my immediate boss.

Johns told Justice S.C. Oriji that the transfers to his company, P3 Cornerstone, were made on the instructions of his superiors, including Bello Yero, the former permanent secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, along with finance director Babangida Hassan and chief cashier John Columba.

"All the money paid to P3 Cornerstone was based on the directives of my boss, Alhaji Bello Yero, the permanent secretary; Babangida Hassan, the director of finance and John Columba, the chief cashier, who was my immediate boss," Johns stated. He recounted that Donga Local Government alone paid N30 million into his account on July 1, 2019. He further testified that he withdrew this amount in cash the same day, handing it over to an individual named Dare Lawal, identified as the first prosecution witness.

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I can see a credit of N30 million from Donga LG in Exhibit 9, my credit balance as at the time the money entered was N2 million. After it entered, it became N32m. On the same day, July 1, 2019, a directive came from director of finance, Babangida Hassan that I should withdraw the N30 million in cash and I went to the bank with Dare Lawal and I handed over the money to him.

The witness also described receiving an N8 million credit from Donga LG on July 3, 2019, followed by an N8 million manager's cheque on July 5, 2019. Additionally, Yorro Local Government issued a manager's cheque of N3 million on July 22, 2019, which Johns said he withdrew and handed over to the permanent secretary, driving him to the Government House. The testimony continued with details of further transfers, including N4.4 million and two N10 million payments on July 24, 2019, and substantial sums from Gashaka, Donga, and Zing Local Governments, totaling over N110 million in cash withdrawals.

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The N3 million was withdrawn the same day by me. The same amount was handed over to the permanent secretary and I drove him to the Government House.