The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the immediate past governor of Taraba State, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, for allegedly diverting over N27 billion earmarked for local governments in the state. The arrest marks a significant development in the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to tackle corruption involving public officials.
Ishaku, who served as governor of Taraba State for two terms, has now been in the EFCC’s custody for 72 hours. Alongside him, Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, has also been implicated in the case. Both men will face trial on 15 charges filed by the EFCC in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The EFCC’s charges center around the mismanagement and diversion of funds meant for the development of local government areas within Taraba State. The anti-graft agency has accused Ishaku and Yero of misappropriating public funds to the detriment of the state’s local government infrastructure and governance. The exact charges and details of the alleged crimes will be laid out when the trial begins.
However, as of the latest reports, it remains unclear when Ishaku and Yero will be officially arraigned in court. The EFCC has yet to announce a specific date for their appearance before the FCT High Court, fueling speculation over the legal proceedings that await the former governor and his co-accused.
The arrest of Darius Ishaku adds to the list of former Nigerian governors and high-ranking officials being investigated or tried for corruption by the EFCC. His case has garnered significant attention, not only because of the alleged amount involved but also because of the role local government funds play in providing essential services and development at the grassroots level.
As the nation watches closely, this high-profile arrest underscores the EFCC’s continued resolve to combat financial misconduct among public officeholders, sending a message that no official, no matter how prominent, is above the law.
