A prosecution witness on Monday told the FCT High Court in Abuja how he allegedly received money multiple times from some local governments of Taraba State and other sources on behalf of Bello Yero, who is Governor Darius Ishaku’s co-defendant in a N27 billion fraud trial.
Prince Onwuzunike, who is the second prosecution witness, told the court that he received the money ranging from N20 million to N100 million, through his bank accounts from some local governments, including Ardo Kola, Gasol, and Yorro.
According to the witness, who described a purely personal relationship with Mr Yero, said he handed the money, which received on numerous occasions between 2019 and 2020, to the then governor Mr Ishaku’s personal assistant, Ismail Lawal, who earlier testified as the first prosecution witness.
Mr Lawal, the first prosecution witness, in his testimony which began in January and ran for months, shared details of how he received millions of naira from various state government officials and other persons on the instruction of Mr Ishaku and distributed the funds also according to the direction of the then- governor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the ex-governor alongside Mr Yero on 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and fraudulent conversion of N27 billion belonging to Taraba State.
The anti-graft agency said the two defendants diverted the money from the contingency funds belonging to the state’s Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and certain local governments of the states into their private uses.
Mr Yero was Permanent Secretary, Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during Mr Ishaku’s reign as governor. Mr Ishaku was the governor of the north-eastern state from 2015 to 2023.
They both pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting off a full-blown trial that took off with the testimony of the first prosecution witness this year.
Second prosecution witness shares money transfer details
The second prosecution witness, who identified himself as a businessman selling phones and accessories, spoke on his ties to Mr Yero.
Led in evidence by EFCC’s prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness said their relationship was like that of a father and son. He noted that he had known Mr Yero prior to his appointment as a permanent secretary in the Taraba State civil service.
Mr Onwuzunike said he started receiving money on behalf of Mr Yero after receiving a call from him asking him to expect a money transfer alert from one Taiwo Jones.
“The transactions started the day the permanent secretary (Mr Yero) called me (to tell me) that someone would send money into my account by the name Taiwo Jones. In a short while, I received an alert of the money, and I called and told him that I had received the money.
“He said he would give the phone number and name of the person I would go and give the money to at Taraba State Government Lodge at Asokoro by the name Mr Lawal Dare,” the witness said.
Apart from Mr Jones, the witness said, others who sent money to his Zenith and Access bank accounts included P3 Cornerstone and some local governments in Taraba State.
“It was regular. Sometimes, I received from Taiwo Jones and P3 Cornerstone, a few from Ardo Kola Local Government (LG), Gasol LG and Yorro LG. I always withdrew and gave it to Mr Lawal,” he said.
He said the transactions, which ranged between N20 and N100 million, were made between 2019 and 2020, adding that he later realised that P3 Cornerstone was owned by Mr Jones.
The witness said he didn’t know where the senders got the money from but maintained that the transactions were regular.
Earlier prosecution witness detailed money received, shared on behalf of ex-governor
Mr Onwuzunike urged the EFCC’s lawyer to go through his account statement earlier tendered in as an exhibit to confirm some transactions.
Thereafter, the judge, Sylvanus Oriji, adjourned the case until 14 January 2026 for continuation of the hearing.
