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27BN Fraud Charge Against Former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku Adjourned to June 15, 2026
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has adjourned the ongoing trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, to June 15, 2026, following the withdrawal of counsel representing the second defendant.
Presiding Judge S. C. Oriji granted the adjournment after counsel to the second defendant, Bello Yero, announced his immediate withdrawal from the case during proceedings on Thursday.
“I would like to bring to your notice my withdrawal of service, urging my Lord to grant it,” said the defence lawyer, Samuel Fagade, adding that his client was aware and had begun considering a replacement.
Ishaku and Yero, a former permanent secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 15-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and diversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
The trial was set to continue with the prosecution’s third witness, Taiwo Johns, but proceedings were halted following the development.
Addressing the court, Yero requested additional time to secure new legal representation.
“I want to plead with His Lordship to grant me an adjournment of four to six weeks to enable me to get legal representation. As it is now, I don’t have any lawyer,” he said.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, did not oppose the adjournment but questioned the timing of the withdrawal. He noted that the outgoing counsel had been present at the previous sitting when the witness began testifying and failed to provide the legally required notice.
“When we called our PW3, this counsel was there. He should have at least given the court three days’ notice,” Jacobs argued.
He further alleged that the second defendant may not have been entirely forthcoming, claiming that a new lawyer had accompanied him to court but withdrew his appearance from the cause list.
“The second defendant came with a lawyer. They came together to this court, and the lawyer is in court hearing me,” Jacobs said, urging the court to deny a lengthy adjournment.
However, the lawyer in question later addressed the court, confirming preliminary discussions with Yero but stating that no formal agreement had been reached.
Justice Oriji subsequently approved the withdrawal of counsel and adjourned the matter to June 15, with additional dates fixed for July 2, 7, 13, 14, and 15, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
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Breaking: Nigerian Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage, FG Faces Fresh Salary Pressure
The Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has demanded an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, noting that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
The Forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The workers also proposed a new salary structure that would place the highest-paid Level 17 officer on a monthly salary of N1.5 million, while Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the Forum said.
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The FWF argued that the Federal Government had not fully implemented the 2024 minimum wage agreement, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.
“It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” it said.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in August 2026, demanded an upward review of the minimum wage to N500,000.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s government increased the minimum wage to N70,000 per month from N30,000.
However, the cost of living for many Nigerians has tripled between 2024 and 2026.
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BREAKING NEWS: ‘No Support For Military Coup in Niger’ – FG
The Federal Government has said Nigeria will never support a military coup or any unconstitutional change of government, following claims that the country backed a failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the claims circulating on social media are baseless and misleading.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria remained committed to democracy, constitutional rule and political stability in West Africa and would not support any attempt to remove a government through unconstitutional means.
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“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that Nigeria, through its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported or endorsed the military takeover in Niger.
He said the Federal Government had already stated its position on the situation in Niger in an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2026.
According to him, Nigeria remains deeply concerned about developments in Niger and wants the country to return peacefully to stability and constitutional order.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Niger made peace and stability in the neighbouring country particularly important.
“Nigerians at home and abroad should disregard the videos and narratives circulating online, they are intended to create confusion and tarnish Nigeria’s image,” the statement said.
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