Taraba Facts

About twenty-seven persons have been hurriedly ushered to the graveyards in Taraba state as a result of the the snake bites that is currently ravaging communities in Donga local government council of the state Confirming the sad incident to our state correspondent, the Counselor representing the affected  communities in Suntai Ward of the council, Filibus Sambo. said the ongoing snake bites have made several people to flee the communities. More to that, according to him, business activities in the affected areas have been brought to standstill as ” everybody” according to him ” are now afraid of coming out of their home for fear of be bite by snakes.” Apart from the increase in the death toll, he also confirmed that hospitals and herbal homes, in the areas, are now busy treating ” some victims who are still suffering from the snake bites.” Wondering why the development have continue to terminate the lives of the people, the need for the state government to immediately...

The Taraba State branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday said primary school teachers would begin a three-day warning strike today for the non-payment of three months of their salary, among other grievances. The Chairman of the union, Alhaji Aliyu Mafindi, disclosed this at a press  briefing in Jalingo, saying the outstanding salaries were for the months of March, April and May this year, adding that the state government’s attitude on welfare of teachers was poor. “Teachers in Taraba State public primary schools  will embark on a three-day warning strike starting from tomorrow, May 31, 2016 to June 2, 2016, to press home our demands,’’ the NUT chairman said. - Daily Trust 

Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State has said that insecurity has prevented business people from investing in the state. Addressing newsmen in Jalingo yesterday, Ishaku said his attempts to woo investors had failed as they complained of insecurity. "We have huge potentials in solid minerals, agriculture and tourism but the investors we contacted refused to come for fear of insecurity," he said, specifying that the Gashaka Gumti National Park was suffering low patronage because insecurity, especially along roads leading to it, was scaring tourists off. He added that the Nwoyo annual international fishing festival in Ibbi was suspended because of rampant crisis in the area. He said however that the problem of insecurity was being addressed to make the state a safe haven for investors.

Taraba State governor, Mr Darius Ishaku, yesterday said that his administration will deal with corrupt officials that have been stealing government funds from the state’s coffers. Ishaku spoke to journalists in Government House after his broadcast marking Democracy Day. He said since assumption of office, his administration has blocked avenues through which government officials had been looting the state. “As I speak to you, I am thinking of exposing those government officials that has been stealing public funds. Right from the day I assumed office, my administration has made concerted effort and blocked all avenues government officials have been looting the state. And equally, I have been able to save up to N100million to the state government account and the IGR has greatly improved within this one year in office,” he added. He informed that his government is working out mode modalities to ensure a paradigm shift from crude oil revenue to agricultural driven revenue....

No fewer than nine villages in Dampar ward of Ibi Local Government Council of Taraba state, have presently been taking over by militias from the neighboring state of Plateau. The militias whim our reporter gathered emerged from Tarock in Langtang South of Plateau state, have not only lay hold of the villages but have as well compelled the real owners of the villages to pay tributes to them. Our reporter however noticed that those who are not willing to subject themselves to the ruler ship of the militias have relocated from the villages to nearby local government councils in the state. The state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, who appeared helpless at the situation, said relevant efforts to ignite the attention of the Plateau state government to the  ugly development have been made by the  Taraba state government . Sad at the growing rate of insecurity, the governor while answering questions from journalists in Jalingo, the state capital claimed to be aware ...

There was drama at Zing, the headquarters of Zing local government area of Taraba state, as youths from the area in protest seek the removal of the Secretary to Taraba State Government SSG Mr. Anthony Jerason who hails from the area. The drama started when Governor Darius Ishaku visited the local government area on Saturday to commission the ruler electrification projects and a feed mill factory to mark his one year in office. The youths in their hundreds who followed Ishaku from Zing town to Kurukulu, Monkin and Yakoko villages for the commissioning of the electrification projects insisted that the appointment of the SSG did not reflect wishes of the masses who are the electorates. The youths also insisted that unless the governor give them listening ears they would disrupt the occasion. Governor Ishaku in his wisdom to save time in other to continue with the commissioning stopped the protocol and announced that a hundred thousand Naira be given to the protesting youths. The lea...

Daily Trust - All matches involving FC Taraba in the Nigeria National League (NNL) have been placed on hold following the inability of the Jalingo side to settle outstanding payments and arrears owed players who featured for the club last season. The Secretary of NNL, Mr. Lawrence Katken said until the management of FC Taraba complies with the decision of the 2015 Annual General Assembly of the NFF on payment of backlog of salaries and allowances to players, the club will play no part in the Nigeria league. "Football is governed by rules and rules are meant to be obeyed. We have no choice but to implement the decision of the Congress," said Katken. "We always have to ensure clubs in the NNL are ready to run because they move to the Premier League from the NNL." Katken added that the Football Associations in Taraba State and that of the FCT, as well as management of FC Taraba and their scheduled opponents for the League opener, Supreme Court FC, have been du...

Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Friday in Jalingo inaugurated the road leading to Jalingo Main Market and the Rev. Jolly Nyame Road, constructed at the cost of N1.6billion. Speaking at the occasion, Ishaku said the 3.74 km roads would boost economic activities in the state. He assured residents of the area that arrangement had been concluded to install street lights on the roads. Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Dr. Tafarki Eneme, said the contract for the roads was awarded to M/S P.W. Nigeria Ltd in 2015. Eneme said the 1.34 km market road, officially known as Palace Way, was a dual carriageway with reinforced concrete side drains from the Ministry of Works roundabout to Karofi Road roundabout. He said that the 2.4 km Jolly Nyame Way was a single carriageway with reinforced block work side drains from the SSS office roundabout to the Specialists Hospital gate. The commissioner said the roads would be maintained by the contractor for 12 months. -TodayNG

SaharaReporters has learned that Aisha Alhassan, President Buhari’s Minister for Women’s Affairs, is currently in the United States secretly receiving medical treatment. Mrs. Alhassan, popularly known as Mama Taraba during her unsuccessful attempt to be Governor of Taraba State, has been in the US for two months according to sources. SaharaReporters learned that Mrs. Alhassan is undergoing orthopedic treatment and has had difficultly walking. Her current whereabouts in the United States are not known at the time of publication. Aisha Hassan

Taraba state Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has tasked the newly sworn in caretaker Chairmen of six local government councils in the state to work assiduously towards alleviating poverty in their respective areas. Governor Darius Ishaku said this today during the swearing in of six local government councils Chairmen in the Exco Chamber of government house Jalingo, hence the need for them to see themselves as a link with the people at the grassroots. He maintained that they are now saddled with the responsibility of taking the message of rescue mission of his administration to the people by informing them accurately of its reality, adding that they have an enormous task. He urged them to wake up from their slumber and work committedly to the admiration of the people. Darius Ishaku charged them to bring their people out of poverty and to ensure that peace which is a panacea that enhances better future that is all encompassing from hunger to self sufficiency be sustai...

-EFCC reveals how Taraba elections N45million campaign funds were shared - Ikenya and Mark Promises to refund the money ‎ ‎ The Gombe zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC has revealed how the former Acting Governor of Taraba State, Senator Sani Danladi Abubakar, a former Minister from the State and Speaker of the State House of Assembly shared four hundred and fifty million naira campaign funds for the reelection of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. An impeccable source from the EFCC zonal office where the investigation was carried out told newsmen in Gombe yesterday that Senator Sani Danladi Abubakar, who represents Taraba North was the Chairman of the sharing committee of the funds alongside the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya Danlami and former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mark Bako Useni. According to investigation carried out by the EFCC, the trio played a very prominent role in the collect...

The special adviser to Governor Darious Ishaku on Special Duties, Hon. Zubairu Hamman Gabdo has said that the governor since assumption of office, has spread development  projects across the  length and breadth of the state. Gabdo, who stated this yesterday in Jalingo during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP said the governor since assumption of office has attracted a good number of projects to the state. “When his excellency assumed office, he declared state of emergency on water sector following the unending scarcity of potable water in Jalingo and its environs. The governor ordered for the immediate overhauling of the entire water plants and I as speak with you, Tarabans now enjoy potable drinking water,” he said. He noted that the governor  within one year inaugurated the 400kw Tunga Dam Small Hydro power plant to provide electricity to Kakara Highland Tea Factory and the surrounding villages. “The  project was jointly undertaken by the United Na...

My major handicap now is lack of Airport to get people in and out of the state. I have friends who can fly in directly from Germany, Israel, and America with their private jets. But they prefer where the Airport is working so that they can land there, have a meeting with us and fly back Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo. Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State has said the lack of a functional airport in the state puts a huge wedge on his developmental plans for the state. “My major handicap now is lack of Airport to get people in and out of the state, I have friends who can fly in directly from Germany, Israel, and America with their private jets. But they prefer where the Airport is working so that they can land there, have a meeting with us and fly back”, he asserted. He said this Tuesday while fielding questions from newsmen at an event marking his first 100 days in office at Abubakar Rimi Primary School, Takum, headquarters of Takum Local Government A...

Aisha Ahmadu, 14, mysteriously disappeared in Gembu, Mambila Plateau, Taraba State, last January, and reappeared in Akure, Ondo State, this April. She was not transmuted to the South-Western city by some beings. She was allegedly transported there by a suspected evil man. He was alleged to have abducted her, apparently for ritual purposes, but now she has returned with symptoms of a pregnancy. The fair-complexioned starry-eyed spinster was, according to her cousin, Mohammed Sulaiman, the pride of her parents and community. She had hugged her books in the midmorning of the fateful Saturday by the end of the month , and left home for the Islamiyya School. She and her brother could not remember the exact date. Unknown to her, her abductor, lurking in his car around the corner to accost her, was all-observant to ensure that she, or any other girl he might be on the lookout for, never passed by him unnoticed, or she never took any other path to school. He beckoned at her. The ...

Fifty-five internally displaced women and youth will be trained in the second phase of a six-month skills acquisition programme organised by an NGO and T.Y. Danjuma Foundation. The T.Y. Danjuma Foundation, in conjunction with All Children Charity International Foundation (ACCIF) will train 25 IDPs from Kuchigoro, Abuja camp in shoe-making, 20 in tailoring and 10 in welding technology. Speaking at the one-day orientation held in Abuja for Pegi and Kuchigoro IDPs camp, the director of ACCIF, Barr. Ranti B. Daudu said the “success story” recorded in 2015 when 36 persons were trained from Pegi IDPs camp was a motivation to repeat the program at the Kuchigoro camp. She explained that each vocation would have two trainers and all the trainees would be provided with materials and lunch during the course of the training. She added that start-up equipment would be provided at the end of the training in addition to the entrepreneurial class that is being put in place “where they wil...

The Hope Afresh Foundation  in collaboration with the MTN Foundation have commenced a three day Free Medical Rescue Outreach to Internally Displaced Persons in Dan- Anacha village of Gassol Local Government area of Taraba state. Speaking at the venue of the outreach, the wife of Taraba State Governor, Barr Anna Ishaku  who was represented by her Programme Manager, Mrs. Helen Douglas disclosed  that  the project which is part of the government’s rescue mission is an initiative of the Governor’s wife and    was born out of her burning desire to improve the quality of lives in all communities in Taraba state. The displaced persons who have been camping at Government Secondary School Dan-Anacha for the past two weeks, have no access to medical care and some basic amenities, which are to alleviate their suffering. She stated  that adequate provisions had been  made for drugs and medical personnel to treat all kinds of ailments. She ...

The member representing Wukari/Ibi federal constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Danjuma Usman Shiddi has empowered over 5, 000 constituents with working tools. Presenting the tools to the beneficiaries yesterday in Wukari, the federal legislator explained that his intervention was a fulfillment of his campaign promises, adding that  the empowerment materials were equally meant to justify the confidence the people reposed on him. He informed that since his assumption of office as a federal lawmaker, he has placed over 15 students on scholarship at the NTA Television College Jos, facilitated the employment of some youths at the University of Jos and the Federal University Wukari, secured employment for youths into the Nigerian Navy and other para-military organisations among others. “My achievements within this few months as a legislator didn’t end at this. I provided skills acquisition training for over 110 youths at the federal government vocational centre in Lafia, N...

This year's Taraba National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Mini-Sports Festival ended recently with the entertaining football finals won 4-3 by Platoon 10 in the penalty shoot-out against Platoon 4 after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. While the winners took home the prestigious trophy donated by former NFF president, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, the runners-up went home with the trophy donated by the present scribe of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. Donor of the Gold Cup, Lulu expressed satisfaction with the performance of the two finalists as he said some of them would go on to represent the country in football, if they keep working hard. He said "Nigeria will always appreciate your positive contributions and selfless service to the nation. "I am confident that some of you will in future represent this nation in football, if you continue to improve on your performance." The State Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Attah thanked the donor of the giant trophy and expressed...

PDP National Chairman Ali Modu-Sheriff  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Acting National Chairman Ali Modu-Sheriff yesterday apologised to aggrieved chieftains of the party over statements credited to him by his personal aides and associates. Sheriff, at a news conference in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, said “as a well-cultured and astute politician, I would never make any comment that would ridicule the party”, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He had been quoted by his aides to have damned the agitation by some ex-governors, ex-ministers and other leaders, who asked him to quit on May 21 when his tenure ends but Sheriff is contesting for a full term at the national convention slated for Port Harcourt. They set up a 51-member steering committee, which they said will take over the role of the National Working Committee (NWC). Sheriff threatened to report former Information Minister Jerry Gana to the Economic and Financial Crimes ...

An unidentified teenager has been arrested by the Taraba State Police Command for allegedly being in possession of ammunition and dangerous weapons. A special squad involved in mopping up firearms in the state arrested the 18-year-old suspect and other persons involved in several crimes ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling as well as unlawful possession of firearms. The state Commissioner of Police, CP, Shaba Alkali, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Thursday. Speaking on the command’s achievement in fighting crime, the CP said the success rate of crime fighting in the state had increased following the introduction of the special squad in collaboration with vigilante groups and the public. He noted that maintaining the tempo in ridding the state of criminal elements required the combined efforts of security agents and the public, adding that suspects currently in police custody for various offences would be charged to court. - Daily Post...

The  Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has reflected Mr Victor Bala Kona, unopposed  to continue as the chairman of the party for a second term tenure. The Taraba State chapter of PDP at its state congress held yesterday at the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo, also elected 29 members of the state party exco which consists the14 members of working committee and 15 non- working committee members. All the exco were elected unopposed by delegates from the 16 local government areas and Yangu development area of the state, through secret balloting. Announcing the results of the election, Mr Emmanuel Ekpirikpo, the chairman electoral committee, said Victor Bala Kona, was the only candidate who contested for the chairmanship seat and polled 675 votes to emmerge as winner. At the congress, Mr Kuriya Taparki, was  also elected as the new  secretary of the party. In his  acceptance speech,  Kona vowed to uphold and defend the constitution of the party. -L...

The drooling tears on the faces of patients in Taraba state necessitated by the high medical bills being charged by hospital, would soon give way to smiles as plans to storm the door steps of no fewer than eighty thousand patients have been mapped out by the wife of the state governor, Barrister Anna Darius Ishaku. Making public her mapped out plans today in Jalingo, at the flagging off of her free medical treatment, her foundation which is known as Hope Afresh, she said would target 500 patients across the sixteen local government councils of the state. She pleaded with the people to make use of the opportunity as the medical teams assigned with the responsibilities of addressing the health plights of the people, would work tirelessly round the clock to teat and treat the people of various ailments. Believing that the programme would go a long way to solve the medical problems of the people especially those who are unable to access hospitals as a result of the high medical b...

The Nigerian Bar Association Taraba state chapter has given Taraba state government two days ultimatum to return the illegally deduction of the legal officers who work in the state or boycott court activities all round Taraba state. Idris Abdulahi Jaro, the chairman NBA Jalingo branch disclosed this while briefing journalist at NBA state secretariat Jalingo. Jaro said the NBA has noticed with dismay that for over four months the salaries of legal officers from the state have been illegally deducted without meaningful reasons. He noted that the resolution, which was announced to journalist, was taken at NBA’s congress, and that if the state government did not comply within two days, the legal officers working in the state would not attend court proceeding for a whole week thereafter a stiffer action would be taken. The NBA chairman attributed the illegal deductions to the use of a consultant to pay salaries of civil servants in the state. “We have technocrats who were empl...

Taraba, Ekiti Emerge Champions Of 2016 ASO Table Tennis Championship | ASO, Tenns, Championship, Ekiti, Taraba, :: News :: Africa Independent Television Taraba and Ekiti states on Saturday emerged champions of the Men and Women’s Singles at the 2016 Aso TableTennis Naional Championship respectively. The four-day tournament at the Abuja National Stadium saw Seun Ajetunmobi of Taraba winning Onaolapo Ojo of Ondo 4-0 in the Men’s Singles to become champion with a cash award of N200, 000. Onaolapo Ojo came second with a cash award of N100, 000 while Olajide Omotayo and Makanjuola Kazeem both of Taraba came third and fourth with a cash of N50, 000 and N45, 000 respectively. In the Women’s Singles, Esther Oribamishe of Ekiti defeated Bose Odusanya of Lagos state 4-0 to become champion with a cash of N200, 000. Odusanya came second with a cash of N100, 000 while Fatima Kazeem of Rivers state and Toyin Jimoh came third and fourth with a cash of N50, 000 and N45, 000. In the J...

Gunmen suspected to be cattle rustlers have killed persons and taken away 55 cows from a farm settlement in Gassol local government area of Taraba state. Daily Trust gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 20 and heavily armed, invaded Kurmo village midnight of Saturday, shot five persons dead and  burnt about 20 houses. They also took away six cars and   55 cows said to belong to the victims of the attack. A source from the area said the attackers shot one person dead at Sansani village while escaping with the cows.   He said the bandits headed towards river Benue possibly into Taraba/Plateau border, adding that the area had been under attack by hoodlums in recent times, resulting in killing of many people and rustling of herds of cattle. Contacted, the chairman Gassol local government area, Alhaji Tukura Bashiru confirmed the incident, adding that police and soldiers were drafted to the area to track the bandits. The Taraba State Police Public Relat...

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the federal government has commenced discussions with the Taraba State Governor, Mr Dickson Ishaku on the construction of 3050megawatts (mw) Mambilla Hydropower Plant in the state. The project has been on the drawing board for over 30 years with little progress achieved on it. The minister, who spoke at a public lecture in Lagos yesterday, said: “We have opened discussions with the Governor of Taraba State, Governor Dickson Ishaku, who incidentally was once a minister of state for power. “The first thing to do is to acquire the land and deal with compensation issues, which the governor has promised to deal with.” He said that if built, the project would be “the single largest power plant with over 3,000mw in one place and it potentially takes us close to steady power.” He said the next step after acquiring the project land will be to create an earth road to the site to enable more tests of soil and related issues...

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Sule Zakari Kazaure, has charged the 2016 Batch ‘A’ corps members to be good ambassadors of the NYSC scheme and at all times foster national unity and integration. He gave the charge in Taraba State on his first official visit to the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Sibre, Jalingo. Kazaure also congratulated the corps members for their success at their various institutions and implored them to take advantage of the programmes of the NYSC. The immediate past Super Eagles Coordinator who is now the Taraba NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Attah, expressed gratitude to the Director General for choosing Taraba to perform his first orientation camp tour.  Attah said the NYSC in the state had been receiving maximum cooperation from Gov. Darius Dickson Ishaku. - DailyTrust 

 Standard Organization of Nigerian (SON) has seals off over twenty shops in Taraba for selling substandard products. Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the Taraba state Coordinator of SON, Mrs Jenith Vakai said the raid of those shops be came necessary due to influx of substandard products that has taking the over market. “We sealed off over twenty shops due to substandard products been imported into the state. As we speak, SON have seized over 1,040 substandard cables and over five hundred second hand tyres from different shops” she said. She informed that the organisation decided to clampdown on sellers of substandard products due to their importance to humanity. She explained that the exercise followed the directive from national headquarter of SON, to seal off shops selling substandard products to customers, stressing that raid is going simultaneously all over the country. She lamented the influx of substandard products in the state,...