Taraba Facts

Kashimbilla Dam (Completed) The federal government has completed the 40 megawatts (MW) Kashimbilla hydropower plant, the Takun, Wukari transmission substations in Taraba State and other projects to boost national electricity grid.  The Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman confirmed this at the weekend during an inspection tour to the plant along with the Minister of State, Mr Goddy Agba and other dignitaries. They also inspected the plant’s 330/132 kilovolt (kV) switchyard and the Takun 2×60 MVA, 132/33kV transmission substation.  The Project Manager in the Ministry of Power, Engr Ali-Dapshima Abubakar, who conducted them around the project sites, said the Kashimbilla Hydropower was upgraded from 6MW to 40MW. He said the dam and the hydropower components were completed since October 17, 2017; the evacuation project was at 90% level in June, 2019 and will be ready for power generation soon.  Although the dam project was meant to check flood t...

For   the people of Boboto village in Yorro Local Government Area of Taraba State, lack of potable water has been an obstacle to their education, civilization and quality of life. However, last week, Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP), came to their rescue, providing them with potable water after over a hundred years of wait, in which they relied on water from ponds to survive. As water gushed out through the five nozzles for the first time, members of the community could not hide their excitement. For them, the century long wait for potable water offers them a plethora of opportunities to improve on their farming and attend to other related developmental needs, apart from being a source of healthy water supply. Twenty-five-year-old Joseph Shonva told  Daily Sun  that the provision of potable water right at his door-step has not only ended his agony of crawling to the ponds for his bath and laundry, but has significantly made up for his inadequaci...

President Muhammadu Buhari has cautioned the government and people of Benue and Taraba States to exercise restraint following the killing of Rev.  Father David Tanko in Taraba. He has also directed the Governors of both states, traditional, religious and community leaders in the states to meet in dialogue to bring an end to persistent violent clashes between Jukun and Tiv people. President buhari said a high level intervention from the Federal level has been put together to examine all issues underlying the conflicts in the hope of finding a permanent solution. On his part, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammad Adamu has issued orders to the Commissioner of Police in Taraba State to fish-out the killers of Reverend Father David Tanko. The IGP has also condoled with the Catholics over the unfortunate incident. Expressing deep concerns over recent attacks on clergymen in some parts of the country, he has directed the Commissioners of Police in all the States to...

The Executive Governor of Taraba state, His Excellency, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has sworn the new State Chief Judge Hon. Justice Philibus Adetur. In his address, the governor urged the new chief judge to be fair and just in his dealings and also to uphold the confidence reposed on him. Gov. Ishaku added that he should always have it behind his mind that the people of Taraba state are looking up to him to always serve judgement to whoever deserves it without delaying because it’s often said that “justice delayed is justice denied”. The governor also called on the people to rally around the Chief Judge so that he will succeed in his new field of assignment. The new Chief Judge in his words of thanksgiving, appreciated the governor for having the confidence in him and for appointing him into such a highly exalted office, promising to be fair and just to all and to always stand by justice. He asked Tarabans to have confidence in the judiciary and to always seek redress wi...

. Minister of power Engr Sale Mamman has directed all contractors handling Projects in the Ministry to work assiduously and complete them according to specifications as the Federal Government is addressing all challenges to deliver sufficient  power to Nigerians. He was speaking in Kashinbilla Dam during an inspection visit to the project site. The purpose of the visit he said was to get a firsthand status of all the ongoing projects in the ministry for faster delivery. Speaking further he added, "Let me use this opportunity to call on all contractors handling our projects to work hard to deliver them according to specifications as we are looking at all challenges in them and very soon they will be addressed". I am assuring all Nigerians that we are going to deal with all the challenges bedeviling the power sector to deliver enough power to all Nigerians line with the Next level agenda as soon as possible. The Minister was accompanied by the minister of state Po...

A magistrate court in Jalingo on Wednesday docked the Mr. Samuel Ande, the pastor of Court of Christ Deliverance Ministry for criminal conspiracy and trespass on property belonging to Mr Bright Danfulani Suntai, niece to the former Taraba State governor, late Danbaba Suntai. The accused and two others were alleged to have conspired to sell a property belonging to Mr. Suntai under the pretext that the said property was bequeathed to his church by the father of the defendant, the late Babangida Suntai. Counsel to the defendants Barr C. C. Ichele, told our correspondent that the accused had earlier put the property on sale after the death of the owner of the property and father of his client, claiming that the father had given him the property located in Jalingo. Ichele argued that no member of the family was aware of the said transaction and the family still had custody of the documents relating to the property while the accused could not present any proof that the...

The Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the Taraba Police Command to fish out the killers of the Catholic Priest, Rev. Father David Tanko. Rev Father Tanko was murdered by suspected bandits in the early hours of Wednesday, at Kpankufu Village along Wukari Road on his way to Kofai Amadu Village in Taraba State. The IGP in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, condoled the Catholic Family in Nigeria over the unfortunate incident. He also expressed deep concerns over the recent incidents of attacks on clergymen in some parts of the country and has directed Commissioners of Police in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to henceforth pay special attention to the clergy and increase security around worship centres nationwide. The IGP further directed the DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to provide additional forensic and other investigative assets to the Tar...

Barely 24 hours after gunman raided villages in Taraba State killing two people, some bandits have ambushed and killed a Catholic priest at Kufai Amadu in Takum local government area of the state. The cleric was on his way to Takum for a peace meeting with his fellow clergymen on how to resolve the lingering Tiv, Jukun crisis when he was killed. Confirming the incident to Channels Television, the chairman of the council, Shiban Tikari disclosed that after killing him, the attackers set fire him and his car on fire. Tikari identified the deceased as Reverend Father David Tanko, who hails from Wukari local government area of the state. He alleged that the attack was carried out by Tiv militias. He also blamed several other attacks that have claimed lives and property in southern Taraba on the Tiv militias, stressing that the reason for the attacks is still unknown. All efforts to speak to the police proved abortive as calls and text messages to the police spokesperson Davi...

No fewer than 14 persons out of those arrested in Ibbi and Jalingo, in connection with suspected kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume, have been released on bail by the police. Daily Trust reliably gathered that among those released were the  All Progressives Grand Alliance chairman in Ibbi and six others arrested in Abuja and seven others arrested in Ibbi and Jalingo were released by the police in Abuja. A source in Ibbi, Mallam Dauda Ibrahim, told Daily Trust that those released have already returned to Ibbi and Jalingo after their release few days ago. It was further gathered that other persons arrested in connection with the Wadume case, including Wadume’s younger brother, were still being held by the police in Abuja. The Police Public Relation Officer in Taraba State police command, DSP David Misal could not be reached for comments as he did not answer calls or respond to text messages sent to him by our reporter on the issue. DAILY TRUST 

Speaker Taraba State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abel Peter Diah have today on the floor of the house Announced names of Special and Standing Commitee Chiarmen and Deputies Below are names of chiarmen and Vice chairmen of Special and Standing committee as Announced by Rt. Hon. Abel Peter Diah Yerima. SPECIAL COMMITEE 1. Chairman: Rt. Hon. DCN Abel Peter Diah; Speaker TSHA V. Chairman: Hon. Dr. Mohammed D. Gwampo; Dep. Speaker TSHA 2. RULES AND LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE Chairman: Hon. Charles A. Maijankai; Majority Leader Vice Chairman: Hon. Barr. Bashir Mohammed; Minority Leader 3. PUBLIC PETITION, INTERNAL SECURITY, ETHICS AND PRIVILEGES. Chairman: Hon. Bukuni Dominic N Vice Chairman: Hon. Capt. Douglas N. Yahya Rtd. 4. HOUSE SERVICES Chiarman HON. Mohammed U. G. Gayam. Vice Chairman Hon.Barr. Yahuza 5.PUBLIC ACCOUNT CHIARMAN Hon. Dr. Tafarki A. Eneme VICE CHIARMAN Hon. Dr. Joseph A Kunini. 6.INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE. CHIARMAN Hon. Gambo...

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku to appoint its members into his incoming cabinet as reciprocation for the support given him during his re-election bid. Felicitating with the governor on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the creation of Taraba yesterday in Jalingo, the spokesperson of the group in the state, Joachim Dangana, implored the chief celebrant to fulfil his campaign promise of providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. He charged members of the National Assembly to prioritise people-oriented laws and eschew acts capable of making them beggars before the executive arm of government. The youths applauded past governors for their contributions to the development of the state. - GUARDIAN 

Residents of Jalingo have expressed mixed reactions following allegations by notorious kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala (also known as Wadume), accusing Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku of having sponsored his criminal enterprise with six million naira. In the course of interrogation at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja, Hamisu had claimed that Governor Ishaku gave him two million naira at his hometown of Ibi and another four million naira when they met in Jalingo, the sate capital. While some residents have expressed outrage over the Governor’s supposed involvement in a criminal conspiracy, others believe that, if true, the money was meant for political purposes and that the Governor could not have known that the suspect was a crime lord. Governor Ishaku has meanwhile dismissed and denied the explosive allegations. According to Alh. Imam Imam, a former member of the state House of Assembly, “it is only someone who does not know the Governor that would take...

Tragedy struck in Takum Council Area of Taraba State yesterday as armed bandits attacked the family of five on their farm, killing a member of the family following various degrees of injuries he sustained from gunshots. The Guardian learned that the other four members of the family including the father, a retired principal, who survived the attack, are presently undergoing medical care in an undisclosed hospital in the area. It was learned that the victims were on the farm harvesting maize when the armed bandits stormed the farm and opened fire on them, during which a member of the family died. Caretaker chairman of the council, Shiban Takeri, confirmed the incident, saying it occurred at the farm when members of the family went to harvest their produce. Takeri, who expressed worries over the sad incident charged security agencies to intensify security to end the incessant attacks and kidnappings by armed bandits in the area. The council, which is the home town of Govern...

As Nigerians await the submission of report by the 7- man investigative panel probing the killing of three police men in Ibi, Taraba State, another member of the arrested millionaire kidnapper Hamisu Balla alias ‘Wadume’ has been arrested in Wukari area of the state. Channels Television gathered that the home of suspect simply identified as ‘Uche’ was busted in the early hours by a detachment of operatives from the Inspector general of police intelligence response team drawn from units across the country. This latest arrest now makes it six members of the gang in custody of the police with several arms recovered. The team also recovered thirteen vehicles and identified over twenty houses allegedly owned by the kingpin. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who leads the IRT, presented the gang leader Hamisu Balla before a military investigative panel for interrogations last week. Submission of a report by the 7-man investigative panel to the Chief of Defence Staff ...

The Joint Investigative Panel set up by the Defence Headquarters(DHQ), in Abuja, to probe the killing of four officers and one civilian by soldiers in Taraba State, is set to submit its report to the Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Abayomi Olonisakin, today. This is just as Daily Sun gathered that the seven-man panel with members drawn from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and the DIA, have raised suspicion over the alleged confession of the man at the centre of the incident and kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume, in a video released by the Police Force headquarters, Abuja. The panel which commenced its sitting in Taraba State where it interviewed all those involved in the gruesome act, relocated to Abuja last week to conclude its hearing. The panel which held its interview session at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), was said to have interviewed the three police officers alleged to have played a role in the killing of th...