by admin | Oct 31, 2019 | About Taraba, Latest News
Federal and State Civil Security Administrators today paid Govenor Darius Dickson Ishaku a courtesy visit in Government House, Jalingo.
The event which took place at the Executive Chambers of the Government House was witnessed by top government functionaries.
Governor Ishaku, speaking during the visit, said he was excited that Taraba was chosen as the venue for this most important meeting.
He said the rising security challenges has continued to be of great concern and this has made citizens and even security operatives to sleep with their eyes open.
Ishaku said there is hardly any month that one or more security challenges are not recorded. As a result of these challenges he has supported the security agencies in the state with some equipment such as Hilux Vans and motor bikes to aid their job.
The Governor also disclosed that hunters were engaged to support in combating crime in the state especially the kidnappings and banditry and have recorded a tremendous success.
He thanked the Inspector General of Police for his support and for the Intelligence Responds Team (IRT) led by DCP ABBA Kyari which led to the apprehension of Notorious Bala Hamisu popularly known as Wadume.
Ishaku said “we must collectively as a Nation rise up in educating our people on the need of having a peaceful nation and living in peace.”
Dr. Hajiya Amina Shamaki (MNI) Representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the delegation said they were in the state to hold their annual meeting on how to improve security in the country.
She said they were aware of how peace has been gradually achieved in the state through the efforts of the Governor and expressed appreciation for his contributions towards building a permanent peace in the state.
by admin | May 11, 2019 | About Taraba, Latest News, Wukari
Governor Darius Ishaku has bemoaned the recent Tiv/Jujun crisis that rocked farming settlements in Rafinkada and Kente both in wukari local area of the state.
According to a press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, the Governor Ishaku is saddened by unfortunate violent clashes between Jukuns and their Tiv neighbours in Kente and Rafinkada which occurred on Friday May 10, 2019.
According to the statement, the latest crisis, like the ones before resulted in the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of valuable properties.
He described the incident as unfortunate and should not be allowed to happen again.
The Governor noted that the Jukuns and Tiv living in the border communities have every reason to live in peace. They are both farmers struggling to erk a living mainly from the produce from their farms and therefore peace between the two groups is essential for this to be sustained for their mutual benefit.
Governor Ishaku said it is crucial for residents of these communities to deliberately seek and promote peace between themselves.
He further directed security agencies to move to the scenes of the crisis in Kente and Rafinkada.
Governor Ishaku is also aware that relative peace has been achieved through this intervention. But he is appealing to leaders of these communities to play their part by prevailing on their people to drop their weapons and to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure that peace is sustained among them.
The Governor also condemned the attacks and killings of innocent people in some farmers communities in Ardo Kola and Jalingo LGAs and the reprisal attacks thereafter.
He warned the opposing factions to sheathe the sword and embrace peace. He said security agencies have been instructed to deal ruthlessly with those promoting the crises and the killings in the state.
Bala Dan Abu
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity
May 11,2019
by admin | May 3, 2018 | About Taraba, General
The residents of the Mambilla Plateau, Sardauna Local Government Council of Taraba on Sunday said they regretted their action of taking up arms against one another saying, it had delayed development of the area.
They said this at a town hall meeting with a high powered Assessment Committee set up by Gov. Darius Ishaku to quantify the damage caused by recurrent crisis to rebuilding affected areas.
Rev. Godwill Sol, the Caretaker Chairman of the council, noted at the event that the people of the area have vowed not to ever allow crisis to retard their development.
Sol explained that the people could not afford to toy with the peace that was needed for the take off of the 3,050 mega watts Mambilla Hydro Power Dam and other projects earmarked for the area by the State Government.
Alhaji Jibo Mbamga, the Chairman of Fulani Chiefs (Ardo’s) forum in the council noted that all his members had assessed the situation and decided to say no to conflict for the good of their subjects.
“The recurrent crisis have been causing harm than good to all the ethnic groups on the Mambilla Plateau.
“Our people have resolved to say no to anything that would breed crisis in this community.” He stressed.
In his contributions, Alhaji Saleh Dulah, the Chairman of village Chiefs (Joros) forum explained that most of the crisis that had occurred in the area could not be traced to any convincing reason.
Dulah pledged the village chiefs commitment to ensuring permanent peace on the plateau for rapid development.
Dr. Shehu Baju, the Chief of Mambilla told the committee earlier at a courtesy call on him that the traditional council had gone round to take census of all the destruction caused by the crisis.
Baju noted that many of his subjects, who were displaced by the June, 2017 and March 2018 crises have returned to their homes after getting assurance of restoration of peace by the government.
Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Amb. Emmanuel Njiwah had told the people that the mission of the 19 member committee was to find out the correct number of deaths, houses burnt, cows stolen or killed and other properties destroyed during the two crisis.
Njiwah, a former Nigeria Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon explained that the report of the committee would be followed immediately with support by Ishaku for rehabilitation of victims.
He said the sub-technical committee made up of quantity surveyors, architects and site engineers would do a thorough job in all the villages affected for right compensation.
Representatives of Mambilla, Fulani, Kambu, Kaka and Panso ethnic groups who spoke at the event were unanimous on the resolve to keep permanent peace for rapid development.
Our correspondent reports that the committee later proceeded on the assessment tour of affected villages beginning from Yerimaru, Kasala saa, Nyiwa and Gimba among others.
by admin | Apr 25, 2018 | About Taraba, General, Governor's Rescue Remarks
For barely a week, Jalingo, the Taraba State capital has experienced epileptic power supply from the YEDC, as a result of a rainstorm which occurred last Tuesday leaving homes, institutions and electrical facilities destroyed.
In the wake of the rains which was accompanied by heavy eastern winds, were fallen trees, damaged roofs and fallen poles, although no life was said to have been lost.
Prominent among places affected were the Government House, The Deeper Life campground and the Taraba State University where the V.C said 40 percent of the buildings were affected.
Our Correspondent who was at the institution to assess the damage reports that so far, over 15 blocks were affected. They include: Faculty buildings, lecture halls, female hostels, departmental buildings, toilets, electric poles, laboratories, staff quarters, the VC’s lodge and the office of the Vice Chancellor.
According to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, the storm really caused havoc. His words: ”the incident is a natural disaster which cannot be controlled by man even as I thank God that no life was lost. 40 percent of our structures were affected including my office. You can see me hanging around the Faculty of Law before my office is fixed.
“I lost my valuables such as books and official documents. We intimated the State Government and that is why the Governor was here today to see things for himself. He came with his deputy, Engr. Haruna Manu and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Anthony Jellason.
“The Governor has promised to effect repairs immediately. We are happy because he is a man of his words, we remain grateful to him because he has always been there for us. I pray God to bless him more and more”.
When contacted, the Director, Works of the University, Jerome Vakkai disclosed that the institution lost 10 electric poles and two high tension poles which were completely pulled down by the storm. He maintained that the management was making effort to fix damaged parts.
Addressing Staff and Students of the University shortly after the inspection, the Governor thanked the management and students for the warm reception accorded him promising to effect repairs on the damaged structures.
His Excellency inspecting the damage caused by the rainstorm at the University.
In his words,
”I want to thank you for your love and support to this administration, I sympathised with you over the death of some of your students who were involved in the accident in the republic of Cameroon. Yesterday upon arrival, I visited the hospital to see those on admission. We thank God that doctors are doing their best and they are responding to treatment.
“I have also gone round and seen the devastation done by the rainstorm, it is a major damage. I have quantified the damage and promise to intervene immediately so that students can go back to their lectures. I was told that some of them have started writing their exams and I wish them success”
In a related development, the YEDC offices in Jalingo were not spared by the rainstorm as both the head office and their branch office were badly affected by the storm.
Conducting our correspondent round their offices, the Area Manager, Helbert Rufus Hanawa, stated that their work station was affected damaging 7 computers, 2 giant printers and the most expensive inverter was affected too.
Hanawa also confirmed that over 70 poles of YEDC were affected by the wind storm, saying that Lau, Zing, Jalingo, Mutun-biyu road and Government House feeders were also not spared.
As at the time of filing this report, Hanawa said that they had already restored half of Mutum-biyu road, full restoration of Jalingo and 70 percent of Government House.
Our correspondent reported also that rain storms, accompanied by heavy winds are normal occurrences in Taraba State at the onset of the rainy season, perhaps due to its proximity to the Sahara and Cameroon Mountains.
It would be recalled that Just a week ago, Wukari, in southern Taraba, experienced an unprecedented rainstorm, where it was estimated that 340 homes were destroyed.
by admin | Apr 25, 2018 | About Taraba, General, Jalingo
The Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Ishaku, has inspected the proposed Government House site on Kona Road which is estimated to cost about N6 Billion.
The Governor who was on the site, met with officials of the Ministry of Works who showed him the project design and site plan.
Speaking during the visit, Gov. Ishaku stated that earlier in his administration, he was advised to build a Government House to serve as his legacy for the State. He disclosed that the project would commence as soon as resources were available and that he had the vision to give the state a befitting Government House.
Similarly, Gov. Ishaku has inspected the 5000 Litre Water Reservoir atop the Mount Jalingo which is suppose to supply water to the city and also serve as a resort for recreation.
He expressed happiness that the contractors had began work despite not been fully mobilised.
by admin | Jul 7, 2017 | About Taraba, Latest News
A reliable source at the National Assembly has told KWARARAFA Reporters that, but for the timely intervention of Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha representing Taraba South, Sen. Yusuf A Yusuf would have had his prayers for emergency rule in Taraba State granted.
The source said, “Mr. Yusuf had approached Sen. Bwacha. Yusuf went with the new senator from the Northern Zone, Shuaibu Lau. They went to Bwacha to intimate him of their plans. They actually wanted his support for their prayers.
“But Sen. Bwacha told them outrightly that he will not support certain aspects of the prayers. Precisely, Bwacha specifically told Yusuf to remove the figure of 500 as the number of Fulani killed in the Sardauna crisis. Bwacha told him that the number is indefensible in the light of reasons and peaceful resolutions of conflicts.
“Bwacha also said he can’t support the call for emergency rule which was prominently featured in the prayer documents. I think they went to Bwacha because he is their senior and he is also the Deputy Minority Leader. In all fairness to Yusuf, he actually agreed with Sen. Bwacha and expunged those items from the document”.
Thereafter, according to the source, Sen. Bwacha delivered a stinging defence for the State, saying, he told the Senate that the crisis was a failure of leadership at all levels from the Federal to the State down to the Local Government.
The source added that, “Bwacha also frowned at the swiftness with which the Federal Government rushed to tackle the Mambilla crisis because Fulani lives were involved. Bwacha wondered why there was no such response when he was raising the alarm of similar carnages around the State.
“He reminded them of the several times both he and Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State have tried to draw attention to the plights of other groups without any positive reaction. He recalled a time when over twenty five Tivs were locked up in a room and set ablaze. And the other several times people have been killed in the Southern parts and other Areas of the State.”
