Taraba Facts

SPEAKER There was tension in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital on Friday following alleged plot to impeach the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Abel Diah, and other principal officers of the House. It was alleged that Governor Darius Ishaku was behind the plot to effect the leadership change in the House. Sources in the Taraba Government House told our correspondent on Friday that the governor was angry with the way the embattled deputy speaker, Mohammed Gwampo, was removed without his consent. The governor, it was gathered, wanted the leadership change in the House to have people who will not question his decisions. The frosty relationship between the governor and the House was said to be the reason why the list of commissioner nominees had yet to be sent to the Assembly for confirmation more than six months after his inauguration. A Government House said the governor has mobilised funds for the impeachment of the Speaker and the principal officers, adding that...

Saleh Mamman, the Minister of Power has reiterated Federal Government’s determination to address the country`s power challenges. Mr Mamman gave the assurance on Thursday in Doka, a community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. He spoke at the commissioning of a 47.5 solar energy system at the Doka Rural Hospital, while charging members of the community to protect the facility. News Agency of Nigeria reports that the project was funded by the European Union and implemented by the UKAid in partnership with the Kaduna State Government. The minister said the project was particularly unique because it was conceived under the technical assistance programme through the Nigerian solar programme. The minister said the project demonstrated how partnership and collaboration among stakeholders could lead to concrete results. “In this case, the Department for International Development, DFID, partnered with Kaduna state government to develop this project, providing reli...

Armed groups are already mobilizing for a showdown in Dan-Anacha Village over fresh attempt to effect its renaming to Kwararafa Village. The Tiv community are protesting  the erection of a signboard bearing Kwararafa in a secondary school in the town following renaming of the area from Dananacha to Kwararafa Village stressing that it violate the peace agreement reached with the Jukun community recently. Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that the Jukun were unhappy with Tiv for refusing to allow  erection of the sign board  which resulted in  exchange of gun shots by both sides on Saturday. Both groups are however mobilizing militias for a showdown to claim ownership of the Village popularly known for its Yam business. ''The Jukun has vowed to ensure the signboard with Kwararafa stays and the Tivs are planning to resist it, the recent press statement by the governor calling the village Kwararafa has also boast the morale of the Jukuns, its like an endorsement of thei...

Two village heads, the chairman of a vigilante group and two other persons have been killed by unknown gunmen in Karim Lamido Local Government of Taraba state. The gunmen, about 30 in number, reportedly invaded two communities and killed the village heads of Bilango 1 and  Bilango 2 in Old Muri chiefdom midnight Monday.   Daily Trust gathered that the gunmen suspected to be kidnappers were said to be on retaliation mission over the killing of suspected kidnappers by hunters and vigilante in the area. The gunmen, it was gathered killed the traditional rulers in their palaces. The traditional rulers killed were identified as Garba Dangari, the village head of Bilango 1 and Sarki Ali, village head of Bilango 2. The gunmen also reportedly abducted five children in the area and ran into neighbouring Plateau State. All the victims, including the two traditional rulers were buried at about 12pm Tuesday while security agents have been deployed from Karim Lamido town,...

Gov Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Monday gave marching order to the chairmen of the 16 Local Government Councils in the state to ensure the security of corps members posted to their areas. The governor made gave the order at the closing ceremony of the 2019 Batch C stream 1 orientation course at the NYSC camp in Sibre, near Jalingo. Ishaku who was represented by the permanent Secretary, Taraba Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Peter Toro, congratulated the corps members for a successful orientation course and  urged them to integrate with their host communities so as to foster national unity and development. The Taraba Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Mrs Florence Yaakugh, had earlier appealed to the state Government and other stakeholders to prioritize the security and welfare of corps members in the state. Yaakugh commended security agents, camp officials, members of the Red Cross, medical personnel, the media among others for making the o...

Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku, has appealed to residents of Kwararafa town in Gassol local government area of the state to sheathe their swords and embrace peace. He was reacting to the crisis that erupted in the town at the weekend between members of the community. Darius, in a statement through his Senior Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bala DanAbu, said he was not happy over frequent resort to violence by people who have lived together for decades as good neighbours. The governor further said that violence is not the right solution for disagreement among people and communities.  “Whatever the issue that may be involved and whatever the depth of the feelings and the issues generated, dialogue remains the best approach,” Darius added. He further expressed concern about the turn of events in Kwararafa, noting that he had directed security agents to restore peace in the town.

Unknown gunmen have shot and beheaded three labourers working at a rice farm at Yelwa village in Jalingo local government area of Taraba state. Two other labourers working on the same farm however escaped with gunshot wounds and are admitting at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Jalingo.  Daily Trust gathered that they were said to be hired by one Alhaji Musa Umar to work on his farm and got attacked by unknown gunmen while working on the farm on Saturday. Two of the survivors, Umar Isiyaka and Salihu Muhammed, told our reporter on their sick bed that all of them are from Yalwan Dame village in Birnin Kudu local government area of Jigawa state. They said each year they used to come to Taraba and Yelwa village during harvest period to work on rice farms. They further revealed that they came to Yelwa village four weeks ago and have been working on different farms in the village. Another survivor, Salihu Muhammed, on his sick bed at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo. ...

The chairman, Caretaker committee of Gassol local government area of Taraba state, Alhaji Yahuza Ya’u, has disclosed that curfew was imposed on Dananacha (Kwararafa) town following disagreement between the Tiv and Jukun that nearly turn bloody. He said the disagreement was over the erection of a signboard bearing Kwararafa in a secondary school in the town following renaming of the area from Dananacha to Kwararafa.  Alhaji Yahuza Ya’u said no life was lost but many buildings were razed down and a curfew was imposed to forestall escalation of the problem.  Daily Trust finding revealed that the disagreement has been on since the town was renamed Kwararafa, a Jukun name from Dananacha which is a Tiv name derived from a Tiv variety of yam. It was further revealed that both Tiv and Jukun are claiming ownership of the town and each time a signboard bearing Kwararafa was erected in the town, the Tiv  would  remove the signboard in protest. Daily Trust gathered tha...

At least 14 houses were said to have been burnt and two people injured following a renewed attack on Dan-Anacha village in the Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State. Local residents said trouble started on Thursday following the directive of Governor Darius Ishaku that the name of the secondary school in the community be changed from Dan-Anacha to Kwararafa. Mr Kelvin Katyo of Taraba Tiv Youth Council told our correspondent that the governor had on November 15, 2019 in a letter through the Executive Secretary, post-School Management Board, directed the name change which did not go down well with the members of the community. According to him, pupils of the school who were not comfortable with the name change staged a protest demanding that the governor revert the decision. But they were attacked by irate youths. Katyo said, “The Chief of Tiv in Gassol, Zaki Erentsa Simon, had prevailed on the Tiv people in the town to remain calm after the protest. But in the ...

One person was said to have been killed by yet to be identified armed men at Tor Musa village along Wukari-Takum road in Wukari Local Government Area, while an order by the governor to rename a village is being resisted in Gassol Local Government Area, both in Taraba State. Caretaker Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Daniel Adigrace, confirmed the killing on Thursday evening to journalists in a telephone interview. Adi said the armed gunmen ambushed the travellers who were coming to Wukari from Donga on a motorcycle, killing one woman, while the biker sustained injuries. But the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP David Misal, told BusinessDay by phone that the victims were receiving treatment at a hospital in Donga. “Information available to me indicates that people travelling from Donga to Wukari were attacked. “I don’t have information about casualty figure yet, but I was told the victims are receiving treatment,” he added that he had no details about the ...

At every point in human history, nature has a way of spinning surprises, sometimes pleasant, at other times, less pleasant or out rightly unpleasant to man. For the people of Ganga Balassa in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, one of such surprises that inspired a certain measure of displeasure is a mountain lying face-up in the heart of the community. Villagers said the mountain, often described as a “mountain of death,” has remained nothing but an awe-inspiring mystery. It has been credited with the deaths of 20 persons, who dared to farm on it at different times in the past. Indeed, tales of its awesome, supernatural powers are commonly told from generations to generations with feverish flavor, resulting that even everybody, including children yet of age approach the mountain with utter care, caution and fear. Spread like a blanket sheet across a landmass of 6,620 square km, it is not surprising that the mountain has been dubbed a “no-go-area.” Timothy ...

The Federal Government has said the 40 megawatts Hydro Power Plant from Kashimbila dam in Taraba State will be ready for opening by December and will contribute to power generation in the country. The Minister of State for Power, Mr Godwin Jedy-Agba, stated this on Thursday at a Presidential dinner of the alumni of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Jos, Plateau State. The minister noted that the Mambilla project was also near opening “in a few weeks from now.” Jedy-Agba said, “We will appreciate your contributions towards developing strategic and meaningful policies for us in the power sub-sector of our economy. There is no gainsaying that power translates to every aspect of our life. The government will appreciate your contributions towards moving the power sector forward. “The Mambilla project which has been on for 40 years is taking off on jet speed in a few weeks from now. In the same vein, the Kashimbila Project which is about the same size of Mambill...

A woman has been reported killed by armed men at Tor-Musa village in Wukari Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba State. The council chairman, Mr Daniel Grace, disclosed this to Channels Television via telephone interview on Thursday. He explained that suspected members of a militia group ambushed two persons travelling on a motorbike and killed the passenger while the rider was injured. “The travellers left Donga LGA of Taraba and headed for Wukari before they were ambushed and in the process, one person was killed and the other injured; they were riding on a motorcycle,” Grace said. He added, “The attack took place at Tor-Musa Forest, the person killed is a woman while the rider (a man) sustained several degrees of injury.” The council boss noted that the injured victim has been taken to a hospital in Donga LGA for treatment. The incident comes one week after a similar incident took place at Tsukundi, leading to the death of a school principal. When contacted, t...

Taraba state governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, yesterday, reaffirm his commitment to revive 25 moribund companies in the state. Speaking at the launch of Highland Tea Brands (Black and Green Teas), a product of Mambila Beverages Nigeria in Lagos, the governor said he inherited 25 dead companies on assumption of office. He said eight  of the moribund firms had  been revived, whiles plans were ongoing for the resuscitation of the remaining 17 firms. Ishaku lamented the epileptic power supply in the state saying through hard work he was able to supply the revived companies with 24 hours power supply. He maintained that his administration has saved the companies over N50 million annually spent on running generating power machines. “When we leave office we shall hand over these companies to technocrats and professionals to manage; we don’t need government because from my experience, government has no business in business. If we leave it in the hands of government, the...

Taraba State Governor Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku will tomorrow storm Lagos State for the launching of Highland Tea. This was revealed in a press release by Stratecept, a brand and communication support service provider, saying the launch is part of his vision to promote the products of the state, expand its operations to the Southern region of country. They said the governor has plans to open up the state as an investment haven. According to the release, Highland tea brands is from the stable of Mambilla Beverages Limited, an investment arm of the Taraba State Investments and Properties Limited. The release says, “The grand launching will make its official debut entry into the Southern region in Lagos. The event will be graced by dignitaries across the country. ” LEADERSHIP 

The Taraba State Water Supply Agency  on Monday commenced the enumeration of over 66,000 households in five councils  in the state. The General Manager of the agency Musa Siam told reporters  in Jalingo that over 90 enumerators had been deployed for the first phase of the exercise in Jalingo, Wukari, Ibi, Takum and Gembu. According to Siam, the exercise is aimed at  identifying, revalidating and updating the utility customer database of the agency for  service delivery and planning. The agency chief  said due to security concerns enumerators were drawn from their communities. The exercise being backed by  the USAID Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (E-WASH) Program will last for about six weeks. Copyright PUNCH.

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal will today deliver it’s verdict in the appeal brought by the All Progressive Congress (APC) seeking to reverse the judgment of the Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal, which affirmed the re-election of Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 9, 2019 governorship poll in the state. Already, there is mounting tension in the state among supporters of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, ahead of the judgment. This is demonstrated by their large turn up in Abuja where the judgment will be delivered. A three-man panel of the tribunal led by Justice M.O. Adewara had in a unanimous judgment of September 20, 2019, dismissed the petition by the APC and it’s candidate, Abubakar Danladi on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove their claims that the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The tribunal further held that Danladi was not q...