RE: AS TERROR REIGN IN KUTEB VILLAGES, GOVERNOR ISHAKU, WIFE ENJOY LIVES ABROAD.

The attention of the Taraba State Government has been drawned to a purported publication by Taraba Truth and Facts an online Newspaper dated July 12, 2022 and captioned”as terror reign in kuteb villages, Governor Ishaku, wife enjoy lives abroad.

This publication would have ordinarily been dismissed with the wave of the hand but for the fact that the Publishers survive on mischief, malicious, fabrication of falsehood and blackmail to thrive, it became very imperative to respond with a view to putting the records straight.

To start with, the caption of the so-called publication is a calculated plot by the writer who is acting a script of a perceived political opponent of the Governor to tarnish the good image of Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, his family and the present administration under his watch.

This is simply because, the Reporter has failed beyond any reasonable imagination to educate the public on why the Governor traveled overseas but insisted on publishing what was given to him by his sponsors to redicule the administration of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku who is officially in overseas for the good of the State.

For the avoidance of doubts, Journalism as a profession is not for the promotion of Crisis, blackmail and other destructive tendencies but a profession to mirror the Society and ensure positive development for the good of humanity.

However, Taraba Truth and Facts has not only fallen short of the aforementioned but has over the years trivialized issues and promoted sentiments along political lines in it’s reportage at the expense of the State to achieve cheap relevance and Patronage.

And on the attacks on communities in Takum local government by armed bandits, it should be on record that the victims of such attacks are not only the kutebs as a tribe contrary to the publication but all the tribes in the area are affected as a result of the renewed hostilities on the communities by the Fulani Militias.

Therefore, for the Newspaper to pin point the kuteb tribe as the only tribe affected by the attacks is unwholesome, unbalanced, bias and a promotion of disunity among the various ethnic groups in the area.

Similarly, the report that the Fulani Militias attacked the communities of Jenuwa Gida, Nyifiye and killed some persons is also untrue and misleading because attempts by the bandits to invade the communities in question were repelled by some youths in the area.

It is disheartening for Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper to dwell largely on unverified information volunteered by some locals representing only the kuteb tribe as the basis for its publication on the hostilities against the Communities in Takum local government area without due consideration to other tribes that are also vulnerable and victims.

The State Government under the watch of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku is committed to ensuring the security of lives and properties of citizens particularly the affected Communities in the local government area through the peace initiatives put in place to enable farmers harvest their farm produce and market same to improve their lots during this cropping season.

As a matter of fact, the present administration in the State has worked hard to achieve the relative peace being enjoyed in the State hence the need for the people irrespective of political inclinations to continue to cooperate and support Governor Ishaku to address the ever increasing wave of insecurity for development to thrive.

It is rather unfortunate for the publisher of Taraba Truth and Facts in the purported publication to deceitfully claim to love the people of Takum local government area more than the Governor who hails from there and who’s love for his people cannot be equated to anyone else.

To this end, the State Government is advising media practitioners in the state to strive at operating within the armpit of the laws governing the practice of Journalism profession rather than joining the team of mischief makers, ungodly, wicked and enemies of the State with the sole intention of distabilizing the peace of the State through negative and callous reportage.

According to the Government, any form of blackmail, falsehood and malicious publication aimed at undermining the present adm will not be condoned and tolerated.

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku is press friendly and has often demonstrated that and therefore does not intend to have a sour relationship with the press and warned Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper which is now being seen as a tool used to promote the campaigns of some politicians for the scheduled 2023 general elections.

However, the Government is calling on the Nigeria Union of Journalists Taraba State Council and other regulatory bodies to apply necessary laws governing the practice of Journalism on the Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper for contravening such laws to guide against the promotion of political wranglings, disaffection and disunity among the various ethnic groups in the state.

Although the publisher of the paper has over time deliberately abused the ethics by antagonizing, harassing and intimadating targeted Government officials and others in the private sector, for failure to do his bidding, it’s mandatory and very imperative for the NUJ to call him and his team in the promotion of destructive journalism to order as part of measures to avert continuous bastardizing of the practice of Journalism.

By and large, it wouldn’t be out of place point out that Media houses that operates unethically for selfish aggrandizement should not only be warned but should be proscribed for the attainment of sustainable growth and development and for the good of humanity.

Signed –
Iliya Bekyu Akweh,
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor.