Taraba Facts

  It's very easy to analyse a kind of politics the Governor is playing to retain power in his constituency the southern zone of the state, the following are the reasons why the Governor has outsmarted the people of Northern and Central zone of the state. 1. The Governor gave money to four strong politicians in the north to divide their votes, he first of all asked Hon. Victor Bala Kona to contest, he then persuaded Hilkiah Bubajoda , he then persuaded Hon. Alkinjo kunini the current speaker and now The Accountant general of the state Hon. Aminu Kotolo  2 In the the case of Kotolo, Hilkiah and Alkinjo these are deliberate attempt to stop Victor Bala Kona from becoming a threat to Barrister Damian Dodo SAN because of the agenda it's made up to pave a way for Damian Dodo SAN.  3. Kotolo's endorsement is for him to resign and give a southerner a chance to takeover the treasury of the state so that there is going to be a synergy in syphoning and financing the southern agenda c...

 The Taraba State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Col. Agbu Kefas (retd), on Friday, assured all aspirants vying for the party’s ticket at various levels in the state of a free and fair process. This comes as speculations are rife in the state that the party may favour some aspirants. Kefas in an exclusive interview with  The PUNCH  noted that the party has been democratic in its approach by allowing people to buy forms to contest for positions of choice without restrictions. “We are going to provide a level playing field for all aspirants. So, the speculations about an anointed governorship candidate are not true. If we have an anointed candidate, we wouldn’t have been so open. “We have allowed people to buy forms across the state and I was personally in Bauchi yesterday (Thursday) to ensure that all the governorship aspirants got screened and cleared to contest in the primaries. “If I have a special interest, I would have done some things there to disqual...

 The immediate past state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Taraba state and frontline governorship aspirant, Victor Bala Kona has declared that he would only accept a consensus arrangement if he would be chosen as consensus candidate of the PDP, according to VANGUARD  He spoke Wednesday in Jalingo, while officially briefing residents of the state on his intention to run for governorship in 2023. He explained that based on his credentials none of those that have indicated their interest to contest the party’s governorship ticket is better than him. According to him, “In PDP, we believe in consensus but it is discretional and optional depending on the understanding of all aspirants vying for an office. “This option favours an aspirant who knows the polity of the state and not just anybody. “Based on my profile I will be willing to accept consensus if it favours me because there is no other aspirant for the governorship position in PDP better than me. “...

  Hon. Aminu Malle, Chief of Staff to the Honourable Deputy Speaker of the House Of Representatives has given update on the bill for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture Jalingo, Taraba State. According Malle's facebook post on his wall,  the Bill was transmitted to Mr president for his assent some months ago but was later on return due to some technical mistakes observed by Ministry of Education. The Technicalities were amended and the Bill refer back to house of Representatives and was overwhelmingly passed and sent to senate for concurrence. READ MORE FROM AMINU MALLE'S FACEBOOK POST Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah!! Alhamdulillah!!!. Congratulations to the people of Jalingo, Taraba, North East and the entire county once again as the our much anxiously waited Bill for the establishment of FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE JALINGO has scaled through the much awaited concurrence by the senate. Recall that the Bill was transmitted to Mr president for his a...

Taraba state Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has again directed security agencies in the state to enforce the law banning the operation of all categories of motorcycles in the state capital. This was contained in a Press Release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Elder Iliya Bekyu Akweh. It states that the Governor emphasised the need for the security agencies to spread their dragnet and arrest violators of the order including security agents who are not only contravening the law but conniving with criminal elements to undermine government’s good intentions. That the Governor pointed out that unless the violators of the order are arrested and dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law, the wave of criminality would continue to rise in the society. Accordingly, Mile 6, Sabo Gari, ATC, Nukkai, Jauro-Yinu, Roadblock to Kona, Hammaruwa, Barde, Jolly Nyame ways, Specialist Hospital road, Mallam Joda, Abuja Phase one and two, Angwan Kassa, Sabon Layi and t...

Governor Darius Ishaku says his administration will not leave any stone unturned to protect lives and property of innocent citizens. The governor made the promises during on an on-the-spot assessment of the bomb blast scene in Iware, Ardokola Local Government Area of the State. The government delegation was led by his Deputy, Haruna Manu who assured the injured victims, that the state government has taken up the payment of their medical bills, and also made cash donations to the injured, and the affected stall owners. While, the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Joseph Kunini, said the state legislature has no powers to make laws on the new security threat but will ride on existing laws to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. Iware Community in Ardokola Local Government Council, and Nukkai Area in the state capital Jalingo, had recorded Improvised Explosive Device attacks on the 19th and 22nd of April, a development that has sent jitters among the residents. T...

 The National Emergency Management Agency on Monday conducted a damage assessment at the site of the bomb explosion in Iware of Ardo Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State. The explosion at the popular cattle market killed at least six persons, according to police sources, but residents said 16 persons were killed and 19 injured. Head of NEMA, Taraba/Adamawa Operations Office, Mr Ayuba Ladan, who led the team in the assessment, said the team was at the site to ascertain the level of damage and how they could intervene. While commiserating with the Taraba State Government and the victims of the explosion, the agency said 121 households were affected by the blast. Ladan said, “From our assessment, nine persons died, 28 were injured and many others were displaced.“We are going to forward the report to the headquarters for quick response and intervention to the victims of the bomb blast.” Copyright PUNCH.

five kidnap victims rescued after gun battle in sting operation April 24, 2022 By Peter Duru, Makurdi The wanted leader of a notorious bandit group terrorizing communities in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states, Leggi Jibrin has been arrested after a gun battle with troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, the joint military/security operation covering the three states. It was gathered from a security source that the wanted bandit who had been on the radar of OPWS was arrested by the troops at Agam/Gidan Bawa village in Nasarawa Local Government Area, LGA, of Nasarawa state during a sting operation. The source stated the the operation which took place on Wednesday and Thursday on the directive of the Force Commander, Major General Kevin Aligbe also led to the rescue of five kidnap victims by the troops deployed to Ugya in Toto LGA of the state. According to the source, “Troops of OPWS deployed to Ugya in Toto LGA of Nasarawa state received credible intel and responded swiftly to a distres...

  Aspirants have commence efforts through different political parties to clinch to the number one seat of Taraba state. Not fewer than Seven aspirants have purchased nomination forms and indicate interest to fly the governorship flag under the platform of People’s Democratic Party PDP in Taraba state. LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that more are jostling to do same in the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressive Congress APC and other political parties. Oldest among the seven contestants in the PDP is Sen. Joel Danladi Ikenya. Sen. Ikenya was elected to represent the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Senator for Taraba South  in 2007. He then in 2011 made an unsuccessful bid for governor of the state. Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya was nominated as a ministerial nominee to replace Darius Ishaku who resigned to contest for the Governorship election in Taraba State. In January, he was appointed the Minister of Labour and Productivity till May 2015 Sen. Ikenya fr...

The Nigerian Air Force has bombed hideouts of bandits around Kambari village in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, destroying many enclaves. Daily Trust gathered that many bandits were killed in the operation, which started three days ago. Ground forces involved in the operation reportedly captured many bandits and their informants around Gassol and Karim Lamido axis on both sides of River Benue. Daily Trust also learnt that three innocent persons were mistakenly killed around Kwatan Nanido in Gassol Local Government Area. According to sources, the bandits have been in Kambari axis for the past two months. They are said to be responsible for most of kidnapping and killings in many villages across Bali, Gassol and Karim Lamido local government areas of Taraba. Efforts to contact spokesperson of the Nigerian Air force for reaction failed. However, spokesperson of the Taraba Police Command, DSP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the development, but said it was purely an Air forc...

The Presidency wishes to throw light on the recent note presented to the Council of State, on the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, PACPM as a culmination of a process begun by the convicts and others concerned in line with the Constitution. Section 175 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) enjoins the President to exercise his constitutional powers “to grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions; to grant respite, either for an indefinite or a specified period of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; substitute a less severe form of punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on the person for such an offence or of penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the state on account of such an offence....

  As the death toll from the bomb blast at Iware International Cattle market in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State increased to six, yesterday, the owner of the beer parlour where the bomb exploded said all she heard was a sound like thunder before passing out. The shop owner, Elizabeth Danjuma, who confirmed that the bomb exploded at her shop, could barely speak and was still in shock when approached on her hospital bed. She said: “Honestly, what I know was that I heard a sound like thunder and blanked out. By the time I regained consciousness, I didn’t know I was wounded. I saw some others affected by the blast and that was how we were all brought here. “I have been selling my drinks in the beer market for over one year and nothing like this has ever happened The bomb was brought here in a polythene bag and the person told someone to keep it for him that he would be back. “After he left, the explosive device went off and caused the havoc we are all suffering...

   The Taraba State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Col. Agbu Kefas (retd.), on Monday denied picking the party’s governorship nomination form ahead of the 2023 elections. In a telephone interview with our correspondent in Jalingo, Kefas dismissed the rumour making the rounds that he bought nomination form to contest the party’s governorship ticket. He said, “I don’t know why people are agitated about me. They are just making me popular by putting that write-up in the ‘Taraba Truth and Fact’ newspaper. “If I am going to buy a form, I will make it public, and people will know about it. I am working with the governor, and naturally, he should be interested in who succeeds him. So, it is not true that I have picked a form. “The governor has not thrown the ticket open, so I don’t know what the speculation about me is all about. Our correspondent reports that Kefas hails from the southern zone where the state governor, Darius Ishaku, who is completing his second and final...

  Jalingo—The ancient city of Wukari, in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State was thrown into excitement weekend, as the 40MW Kashimbilla hydro-power plant illuminated the town. Vanguard learned that though the project is yet to be commissioned, the town is now powered by the substation. READ MORE Commissioning of Kashimbila Hydropower Station (40 MW) in Nigeria Reacting to the development, the Paramount ruler of the Jukun race and Aku-Uka of Wukari, Manu Ishaku Adda Ali, Amatakhitswen, yesterday appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for completing the electricity project. He said the completion of the project had been the dream of Tarabans who had been longing for a reliable power source that will cater for their needs. He said:  “Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, who was then Minister for Power, contributed immensely to the realization of the project and is greatly commended for his passion for his home state. “As a way of reciprocating the gesture of the g...

Gunmen have attacked a mosque in the Maisamari community in the Sardauna Local Government Area of the Taraba State, killing the district head. The district head,  identified as Abdulkadir Safiyanu, was said to be observing an Islamic night prayer at the mosque when they attacked Monday night. A friend of the deceased and a Special Adviser to the Governor On Political Matters Abubakar Bawa disclosed that they came on motorbikes shooting sporadically to scare residents. In retaliation, the residents used their den guns to confront them, a situation that made them flee through a nearby mountain. Though no person was kidnapped, the remains of the district head have been laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rite. In the last few days muslim communities have come targets of attacks in Sardauna Local Government. Some were killed while others sustained injuries. According to the Taraba Police Public Relations Officer, all measures have been set to commence an investigation into the matt...

  The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Taraba Chapter, says it has sealed 378 pharmacies and patent medicine stores in the state. The team lead of the council,  Mr Stephen Esumobi , disclosed during a news conference on Friday in Jalingo. Esumobi said the shops were sealed during compliance checks on pharmaceutical shops and patent medicine stores in the state. According to him, the 378 shops were sealed out of 546 facilities visited by the enforcement team of the council across the state. He said that the team visited 481 patent and proprietary medicines vendors and 65 pharmacies during their enforcement exercise. " During the exercise, 378 premises were sealed, comprising 34 pharmacy shops and 344 patent medicines vendors stores. “24 compliance directives were issued for various offences such as poor sanitary conditions, poor documentation, non display of premises and pharmacists annual licences. “Some of the stores sealed engage in clinical services and this is a worr...

  A mentor of mine would always say that “if you jump up, you will come down. If you however, grow up, you will stay there.” Gravity, as amazing as it is, has a hold on almost everything in the universe except growth. It does not matter how strong, young or dynamic you are, gravity will fasten her claws around you until you submit, except of course, you are growing.  Think about it. When I was a little boy, I used to be extremely intrigued by the motor car. I believed it to be a thing of magic. I considered my father a magician for possessing the knowledge that made the magic box move. He had acquired a green Mercedes Benz 200 when I was quite little, and the car was so sleek, I would have packed all my things to live inside it were it not for my Father’s stern look and my Mother’s watchful gaze.  Soon enough, I started to observe whoever it was that drove the car. Their legs touched some things, and their hands pushed the little stick hanging in the middle. I had no idea...

  The ICPC revealed in a report that Senator Emmanuel Bwacha "manipulatively awarded contracts for the execution of some constituency projects nominated by him to companies in which he, his family members or associates had "substantial interest directly or indirectly". The report titled ICPC's and Constituency Executive Initiative Projects Tracking (CEPTI) second phase cited cases of conversion of public projects to personal use with vehicles and water machines recovered from the premises belonging to the senator or his relations. ICPC report The cited awarded of a contract for the construction and renovation of blocks of classrooms at the Federal University Star School in Wukari, to his company.  According to the ICPC, Bwacha awarded the contract to Eloheem Educational to Management and Schools Ltd, a firm "owned and operated directly" by him. Educational Eloheem Management Schools Ltd was registered in 2016, a year after he was re-elected to the National ...

 A  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant from Taraba state, Chief Victor Bala Kona, has promised to consolidate on the gains made by the present administration of Darius Ishaku in the state. Kona who stated this shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Wednesday, said he has the support of Taraba women and youths. The former Taraba state chapter PDP Chairman said the present administration has done well, and it will be easy for the party to retain the state in 2023. He promised that if elected as governor, he would boost the agricultural productivity of the state and work towards feeding the entire country. On insecurity, Kona passed a vote of confidence on the incumbent governor. BLUE PRINT