Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has granted former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, bail to the tune of 150 million Naira and two Sureties in like sum.
The two sureties must be residents in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with their house addresses verified by the registrar of the court. The judge ruled that one of the sureties must be a director with the Federal Civil Service, the judge said.
The former governor was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a ₦27bn alleged fraud, before Justice Oriji. Justice Oriji barred the former governor and his co-defendant, Bello Hero, from travelling out of the country except with permission from the court.
The EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, did not oppose the bail request of the former governor. Jacobs stated that the anti-graft agency had granted the ex-governor administrative bail and he did not jump the bail. The presiding judge then fixed November 4, 5 and 13 for the commencement of trial.
Ishaku was governor of Taraba State in Nigeria’s North-East zone from May 2015 to May 2023. He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).