We Are Not Training Illegal Security Personnel – Taraba Govt.

The Taraba State Government on Friday said it was not involved in the training of illegal security personnel anywhere in the state.

Mr. Bala Dan Abu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity

At a press briefing in Jalingo, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan Abu described the allegations made by Lt. Col. Sani Adamu as false and malicious.

According to him, the allegations by Lt. Col. Sani Adamu were deliberately made to misinform the public, frustrate the efforts of the state government in bringing solution to the problem of insecurity in the state, the move he said was unacceptable.

“The training being conducted for the Government by a licensed security agency – GH Security Services Ltd is for Marshals as approved by the Taraba State House of Assembly under the Open Grazing Restriction and Ranches Establishment Law.

“The law which was duly enacted by the State House of Assembly provides for Marshals that will assist in the enforcement of the law and the training in Serti is the second of such exercise in the State and does not involve the use of any weapon,” he said.

Dan Abu explained that all security agencies in the State were informed in writing about the training, including the Army, noting that government was in custody of acknowledgement copies of the letters returned by the security agencies.

While expressing dismay over the action of Lt. Col. Sani Adamu whose agency was one of the recipient of the letters, the Taraba State Government said the training of the Marshals was being conducted in a public school and could not have been possibly done with ill intention.

“We want to use this opportunity to caution against the attempt by security agencies to politicize genuine and patriotic efforts of the Government to solve some of the problems affecting the unity and peaceful coexistence among our people.

“The Taraba State Government is committed to ensuring peace and good neighbourliness among the people of the State and no amount of blackmail would distract us from such patriotic path.”

Lt. Col. Sani Adamu of 20 Battalion Serti had on Thursday raised the alarm over what he described as illegal training of security personnel in Serti and ordered the closure of the training camp.