Taraba Facts

Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has advised the people of the state to remain steadfast in their support for his administration’s battle against insecurity, COVID-19 and economic challenges facing the state today. He wants them to be hopeful as the administration is determined to take steps that will bring alot more succour for them. In his New Year message to the people of the state, Governor Ishaku congratulated them for surviving the scourge of Covid-19 pandemic and the economic hardships that came with it. He attributed the low rate of Covid-19 infections and zero fatality in Taraba State to his government’s aggressive combat strategy and the cooperation of the people. He assured that government’s proactive measures that have so far proved effective in containing the spread of the pandemic in the state would be further energised in the new year. He urged the people to play their own role by fully embracing the protocols for checking the spread of the pandemic. Gov...

An official of the Taraba State government has given reasons why local governments workers in the state could not get paid before Christmas. Suleiman Usman Nyaja, a Media Aide to the Permanent Secretary Bureau for Local Government And Chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Bello Yero said Local government salaries are source directly from Federal Allocations and till this moment no state has received it's allocation. Describing cliams that Alhaji Bello Yero told Local Government chairmen during a JAAC meeting that the LG salaries  will not be paid due to the absence of the Governor as fake news, Nyaja  tagged those spreading the rumour as  'self rated social media politicians in the opposition party" He said "hopefully before the Yuletide is over salaries shall be remitted in due time." Read the full statement below. If constructive criticism is the backbone and Focal point of a democratic government, spreading rumors and fake news by disgruntled political elements could en...

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Taraba State have embarked on an indefinite strike action to press home their demands. ARD President, Ahmed Gabriel, who disclosed this to journalists in Taraba on Friday blamed the decision on the alleged inability of the state government honouring its part of the agreement. He lamented that medical personnel have been exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the total number of resident doctors in the state is not up to 90. According to him, the doctors are not happy with the inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for the fight against coronavirus, non-implementation of the reversed Hazard Allowance and payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance and non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage. Others were insecurity as they lament the kidnap and killing of their colleagues, non-ensuring of pay parity among doctors and medical internship training. “Base on the W.H.O standard, the ratio of doctor to patient stands at one docto...

Governor DDI who’s represented by His Deputy Eng Haruna Manu received an award of appreciation by shekarau Masa-ibi  foundation today at Aku-Uka palace Wukari. The foundation was founded since 2004 by His majesty Dr.Shekarau Angyu Masa-ibi,CON Kuvyu II-Aku Uka In continuation of his effort aimed at ensuring that everyone in Wukari and it Environ has access to quality and affordable Education which leads to the establishment of Kwararrafa University. The foundation has already sponsored more than 100 undergraduates,2 postgraduate students and distribution of goodies during festive period and many. The award recipients at the event are: His Excellency Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku,Gen.TY Danjuma,Sen.Emma Bwacha,chief David Sabo Kente and many prominent Nigerians who contributed massively in building the foundation.  Similarly,His Excellency The Deputy Governor of Taraba state Eng Haruna Manu inspected the mini Army Barrack builded by the state government at Shunku a border community...

Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Joseph Kunini, has explained that he sponsored the ‘Taraba State Violence and Discrimination Against Persons’ bill for the emancipation of women and other vulnerable persons from all forms of ills in the society. The bill, which, according to him, has undergone first reading, if eventually signed into law, will minimise or even eradicate ills often inflicted on women and other vulnerable persons. Speaking yesterday at a dinner he organised for journalists in the state, Kunini said the bill “also seeks” to prohibit indecency. Reiterating his readiness to tread extra legitimate miles to ensure that the bill sees the light of day, he said the bill would cause the conviction of any person who incites, supports, or counsels another person to act violently against women. The 43-chapter bill frowns at Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the name of circumcision, domestic violence, all forms of abuse, forced isolation from family and friends, political...

The ceremony took place at the Retired General Theophilus Danjuma's House Asokoro, Abuja. Speaking,Governor Darius Ishaku said the appropriation bill presented to the House of Assembly was increased slightly from the sum of over one hundred and thirty nine point four billion naira to over one hundred and forty one point six billion naira. He said the increase is on allocation for recurrent expenditure which now gulp over eighty three point three billion naira while the sum of over fifty seven billion naira will be expended on the capital component of the budget. The Governor pledged to use the budget to improve healthcare,infrastructure, education,water supply,agriculture and job creation. Governor Ishaku thanked the leadership and Members of the State House of Assembly for passing the twenty twenty one appropriation bill within record time.

  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has awarded the sum of N375 million to five best performing tertiary institutions in the country. The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, disclosed this at JAMB’s Second Edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Award for 2019, in Abuja. Adamu said the award is one of government’s reward system and intervention to institutions. “In 2019, JAMB at the first edition of the programme, supported the tertiary institutions with the sum of N125 million and this year, the board is supporting the sector with the sum of N375 million. “This is no doubt an excellent gesture, worthy of emulation,” he said. The five Universities who emerged winners in the board’s five categories for the awards would take home N75 million each. The Minister, while congratulating the winners, also challenged the runner’s up and other institutions to rise to the occasion at the next edition to give the present winners a healthy fight. In...

  TARABA  ...we bring news to you . December 15, 2020 The police in Taraba said on Tuesday in Jalingo that operatives foiled an attempt by armed men to abduct a Chinese national at Gindin Dorowa area of Wukari Local Government Area of the state on Monday. The police spokesman in the state, DSP David Misal, said the armed men blocked the Wukari-Jalingo highway on Monday and were about to kidnap the Chinese when the police intervened. Mr Misal said that one of the suspected kidnappers was killed in the bloody gun battle that ensued while others escaped with injuries. “The Taraba State Police Command successfully killed one of the kidnapping gang members terrorising Wukari-Jalingo road and recovered one AK47 with two magazines loaded with 60 rounds of ammunition. “The incident occurred exactly at Gindin Dorowa, Wukari Local Government Area when the kidnappers, numbering about eight, blocked the highway and attempted to kidnap  a Chinese national. “Consequently, they engaged ...

The Minister of Power Engr. Sale Mamman, inaugurated a Youths Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Training (YESAT) for 500 youths in Jalingo, Taraba State. MORE FROM THE  STATEMENT: The empowerment and skills acquisition programme is under the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project (MHEPP) Local Content Initiative. The programme is a collaboration of the Power Ministry and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) aimed at addressing MHEPP’s manpower development needs, and to adequately prepare host communities and the entire state, to derive maximum benefits from the project. YESAT is designed to train and empower 500 youths from each state of the federation, beginning with Taraba. The training shall be under five core courses namely, Electrical House Wiring, ICT Essentials, Catering Management, Masonry and Bricklaying and Plumbing, Pipe-Lifting for Plants and Buildings. It shall be carried out in 4 batches of 125 participants each. The selection into the four batches...

  The trial of the alleged Taraba State kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, otherwise known as Wadume, will resume at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.  Our correspondent learnt that the prosecution would, at the resumed hearing on Wednesday, present its seventh witness before Justice Binta Nyako. This is coming after the sixth witness, Bala James, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, concluded his testimony on October 13. Wadume and six others are being prosecuted on 13 counts of kidnapping, escape from custody, gunrunning, detention of kidnap victim Usman Garba, and collection of ransom of N106m from the victim before releasing him. Apart from Wadume, the rest of the defendants are Inspector Aliyu Dadje, who was a station officer at police headquarters in Ibi, Auwalu Bala, aka Omo Razor, Uba Bala (aka Uba Belu);  Bashir Waziri, (aka Baba Runs); Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho); and Rayyanu Abdul. Wadume was first arrested in Ibi, Taraba State, by members of the...

Bashir Mohammed, a member of the Taraba house of assembly, has been kidnapped by gunmen. Mohammed who represents Nguroje constituency at the assembly was abducted by gunmen about 1:00am on Wednesday in Jalingo, Taraba capital. The lawmaker was reportedly kidnapped from his home. The gunmen were said to have conducted their operation under a sporadic blaze of gunfire which lasted for more than 45 minutes. No member of Mohammed’s family was hurt in the process, a source was quoted as saying. The lawmaker is currently the spokesman for the Taraba assembly. When contacted by TheCable, David Misal, spokesman of the police command in Taraba, said they are making efforts to rescue Mohammed. Advertisement “We are aware and working towards his rescued,” Misal told TheCable in a text message.

  Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Monday killed two cattle merchants and abducted two persons in Andame town in Karim-Lamido local government area of Taraba State. The Nation gathered that the gunmen also made away with millions of Naira belonging to the cattle merchants who were said to have come to the village from Kano to purchase cows. It was gathered that Andame town with a big cattle market has suffered several attacks by armed robbers and kidnappers over the years. A source in the area further told The Nation that over 12 traders were abducted by kidnappers in the town and millions of Naira paid as ransom in the past few weeks. Andame town, it was gathered shares common boundary with Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states and had suffered activities of attacks by bandits, especially kidnappers and Armed Robbery. The Police public relations officer of the Taraba police command, DSP David Misal confirmed the incident through a text message to our correspondent on Tuesday. TheNa...

  Governor Darius Ishaku has offered explanation for the poor performance of Taraba State’s 2020 budget. The fiscal document, according to The Guardian findings, recorded 43.77 per cent performance as against the projected 75 per cent. Presenting a N139, 460,435,961.80 proposal to the state House of Assembly for 2021 at the weekend in Jalingo, the governor said the COVID-19 pandemic affected the budget of the outgoing year adversely. He noted that the virus could not enable the state actualise most of its projections in the period under review. The disease, he admitted “took us unprepared and severely affected our fortunes in fulfilling the desired growth rate and development to be delivered to the people of the state.” Ishaku, who took time to regale the lawmakers with highlights of the 2020 budget, narrated how the scourge compelled the state government to alter earlier plans to check its spread. Following the outbreak, the state, he added, set up one gen expert/molecular laborat...

High-powered delegation from Gassol LGA on a “Thank You” visit to Governor Ishaku. His Excellency, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has assured the people of the state that the problem of insecurity was being tackled with greater zeal and determination to make farming and travelling safe in all parts of the state. Governor Ishaku gave the assurance when a high-powered delegation of people from Gassol Local Government area of the state paid him a thank you visit on Monday in Jalingo. The delegation led by the Chief of Mutum-Biyu, Alhaji Sani Suleiman Duna came to thank the Governor for the provision of electricity and other amenities to parts of the Local Government Area as well as the appointment of sons and daughters of the area into key government positions of which the Deputy Governor, Engr. Haruna Manu is one of such appointees.  Ishaku urged traditional rulers in the state to assist government He advised them to be conscious about happenings within their domains and to report suspic...

Sen. Aisha Alhassan (Mama Taraba) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Taraba state seems to be leaving no stones unturned, as it on Thursday inaugurated three separate assessment committee for the three senatorial zones. The move according to the party is aimed at tying every loose ends and reconciling aggrieved members of the party, as it hopes to retain the state after the 2023 general elections. A former minister of women affairs and social development, Aisha Alhassan, who in 2018 resigned as a cabinet member of of President Muhammadu Buhari, is to head the assessment committee for the Northern Senatorial zone. Sam Tsokwa and Simon Dogari are to head the assessment committee for the southern and central senatorial zones respectively. The state chairman of the PDP, Col. Agbu Kefas (rtd), while inaugurating the committee, charged them to put sentiments and work for the interest of the party and the entire state. He also admonished the three committees to adhere strictly to their ter...

 Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, Friday presented a 2021 appropriation bill of N139,460,435,961 to the state house of assembly for consideration. The budget estimate was also christened ‘budget of restoration and stabilization.’ The 2021 proposed spending is lower than the budget estimate of 2020 with over N76 billion. He pegged the state’s recurrent expenditure at N82,910,048,650, while capital expenditure would gulp N56,550,387,310. The Governor in his presentation explained that his administration’s policy is anchored on transparency, accountability and prudent management of lean resources. He also announced that all government agencies going forward must follow approved estimates and also monitor capital projects. This according to him, would ensure that funds released are utilized for the right purposes. The speaker of the state house of assembly, Albasu Kunini, who spoke on behalf of other members, assured the governor of their cooperation and timely consideration of th...

His Royal Highness, the Aku Uka of Wukari By Yunusa, Bello Mohammed (MNIFST) Wukari is the seat of the historical Kwararafa kingdom of Jukuns ruled by Aku-Uka, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi Kuvyon II, a paramount ruler of Jukuns that ruled since 1976 to date. Hausas coexisted with the Jukuns for centuries, inter-married with the Jukuns and engaged in trading, farming and fishing, and lived peacefully. Culturally, the Jukuns are traditionalists now christains and they are prided farmers and hunters just like their Hausa neighbours who  are traders and on occasions, they venture into farming considering the fertile nature of the soil dotting Wukari land.  Yusuf Adamu Ubale at Kasuwan Kifi (Fresh Fish Market) Wukari, on 25/11/2020 As a result of the peaceful co-existence among all the social groups, economic  activities boomed and the arable land gave forth its yields of fruits, yams, cassava, and vast land for cattle grazing. This continued until approximately the advent of d...

The Taraba State Police command has confirmed the arrest of one Johnson Ibrahim over the alleged murder of his neighbour Isah Salihu. The police public relations officer of the Taraba command DSP David Misal who disclosed this on Sunday said that investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances behind the death, adding that the suspect was already providing valuable information on the other conspirators in the murder. Misal said the command was alerted by the locals on Saturday morning that a dead body was lying behind Grace Junior Academy School in ATC area of Jalingo and on arrival at the scene, the police found lifeless body of a middle aged man later identified as Isah Salihu, a resident of the area. He added that upon preliminary investigation one Ibrahim Johnson a neighbour was promptly arrested and is already providing useful information to the police. The community leader of the area Mr. Yandsam Dame told our correspondent that he was informed by his people that a dea...

Chairman of Jalingo Local Government Area, Hon. Abdulnaseer Bobboji has decried the destruction of properties in Jalingo by a crisis caused by criminals yesterday. Bobboji condemned the action while conducting newsmen round the vandalised infrastructure today at the water board area of Jalingo LGA. The council boss embarked on the visit immediately after he held a security meeting with all stakeholder's at the Jalingo Local Government exco chamber where he set up a committee to fish out the perpetrators of the act. It was gathered that several houses were burned down in the area last night following a misunderstanding between two guys fighting over a lady which left one person dead.  Tension however brewed in the area when the crisis took a religion colouration, however, proactives measure have been put in place to ensure that normalcy was restore. Bobboji finally appealed to all Jalingo residents to remain calm as security commitee have been set up to overrides worsening the situa...