Taraba Facts

Twenty-five people were on Tuesday night killed in a renewed crisis between the Jukuns and the Hausas in Wukari local government area of Taraba State. The crisis, LEADERSHIP learnt, was a spillover from the problem between the Tivs and Fulani herdsmen in Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states. An eyewitness who escaped the bloody attacks said over 200 houses in about four villages were razed down by the trouble makers, just as the roads leading from the north-east zone to the southern part of the country has been closed down by the military Joint Task Force. However, the police public relations officer (PPRO), ASP Joseph Kwaji, confirmed that seven people were killed during the incident. Other eyewitnesses told LEADERSHIP that the killings and burning had been on from 7:30pm on Tuesday to noon on Wednesday. Narrating the ugly incident, the chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Hon. Ishaya Daniel Gani, who lost his elde...

Jalingo — THE Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in Taraba State, Magaji Jatau yesterday lamented the deplorable condition of prisoners as well as those still awaiting trials for various offences in Jalingo Prisons, describing the situation as terrible. Jatau spoke yesterday when the Chairman of DSK Foundation, Chief David Kente visited the prisons to donate some items to the inmates as part of the ceremonies marking his 49th birthday. According to sources the poor condition of the prisons had no source of water supply since the only pipe that connected it to public water supply had been earlier been damaged, adding that the situation had made it impossible for them to take their bath daily. The sources added that the prisoners also sleep in the over crowded cells for days now without food due to scarcity of water. Apart from water, the only one Black maria which used to convey those waiting trials to their various courts for prosecution of their cases had broken brok...

The Say No Campaign -Nigeria (SNC -Nigeria) has asked the acting Governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar,  and immediate family members of ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai to accept the offer by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for an independent assessment of his health in the interest of the development of the state. Convener of the group, Ezenwa Nwagwu, who made the appeal yesterday in Abuja also urged the Inspector-General of Police and Director-General of State Security Services (SSS) to investigate the video interview on the internet allegedly granted by Suntai and make their findings public. He said the situation in Taraba State has further underlined the fear that Nigerian politicians value political power, its associated perks and privileges more than human lives. "The acting Governor of Taraba State and families of Governor Danbaba Suntai should with immediate effect accept the offer of NMA for intervention in this imbroglio. The IGP and DG of SSS should investigate th...

SAHARA REPORTERS: Brain damaged governor of Taraba state, Danbaba Suntai was brought before some reporters to speak about his mental and physical health status, the cabal using the governor to cause political crisis in the state had consistently prepped Mr. Suntai for the media appearance , but they did not bargain for what he said to reporters. Suntai confirmed to reporters that although he needs support to return to office hebwas not fit to return to work asbgovernor, a position that Saharareporters had consistently maintained in several reports through thisbplatform. Mr. Suntai was terribly injured in a plane crash near Yola airport in Adamawa state when a small Cessna plane he was piloting crashed as he approached landing. Mr. Suntai who was speaking in low and measured tone claimed he had been "drinking" before the crash. WATCH IT HERE >>>>  Governor Suntai Admits He Is Not Fit To Return To Office 

The Federal Government has proposed N2 billion in the 2014 budget as counterpart funding for a special economic development initiative for the North East. This is coming about three weeks after President Goodluck Jonathan promised a “special intervention programme” for the region. During the 2nd North-East Economic Summit in Gombe earlier in the month, Jonathan announced that the region will soon benefit from a special intervention programme being packaged by the government to accelerate the zone’s socio-economic development. Details of the 2014 budget available to Daily Trust show that N2 billion was provided under the heading “Federal Initiative for North-East (Pilot Counterpart Funding Contribution).” The use of the phrase ‘counterpart funding’ indicates that the programme would be run together with the six states in the zone. At the North East summit, Jonathan explained that the programme he was coming up with would be executed in partnership with governments of the ...

Emmanuel Njiwa, has been in the power game since the Second republic- a journey that saw him become commissioner, board chairman and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon. In this revealing interview the former Secretary To the Taraba State Government, spoke to bode gbadebo about many burning issues in his home state of Taraba. What led to your removal as the secretary to the Taraba state government? What led to my removal was the political intrigues at the time because I was far removed from what I was accused of. There was no correlation between what they said I did and the actual facts on ground. The truth is that after the plane crash of Governor Danbaba Suntai on October 25, 2012, I visited the ailing governor in Germany in January this yera. By this time, the deputy governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, had been sworn in as acting governor according to the dictates of the Constitution. Now, after my visit, it was his turn to go there and he went to Germany....

The Comptroller of Prisons in Taraba State, Alhaji Isa Bambul has asked the Federal Government to relocate the Jalingo Prisons currently located in the middle of the state capital following the incessant attacks on prisons in the Northeast part of the country. Bambul spoke yesterday in an interview with newsmen during the ongoing symposium/workshop on security sensitisation organised by the prisons in the state. According to him, it was wrong to locate a prison in the mist of civilian community because of the security risks posed in case of security breaches as the people living around such areas end up becoming casualties. Earlier in his speech, Bambul had lamented the incessant attacks on prisons particularly in the North East zone of the country where prison officials spend sleepless nights to ensure that prison walls are secured.

The Acting Governor of Taraba, Alhaji Garba Umar, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mr Mathias Danazumi on Friday, said the state government plans to employ 20 medical doctors in its bid to boost healthcare services to its citizens. He disclosed this in Jalingo at the opening ceremony of the 2013 Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Week/Dinner. He said the recruitment became inevitable as there are inadequate number of medical personnel in the health facilities across the state. Umar also announced that the newly constructed Takum General Hospital would be inaugurated on Dec. 19. He said the hospital was set for operations as drugs and other essential facilities had been procured. He also commended members of the NMA for their selfless services to the people, adding that Taraba would continue to partner with them for effective healthcare service delivery to the people. Earlier, the Chairman of the NMA in the state, Dr Wada Sa...

Recuperating Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, is fit to resume his constitutional duties as the executive governor now, the former governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Boni Haruna has said. He said the most important thing is that Suntai has capable hands around, including his deputy Alhaji Garba Umar, who can complement his efforts. Haruna, accompanied by his wife, spent sev eral hours with Suntai at the Government House, Jalingo on Sunday. Haruna clad in an ash short-Safari suit while the governor wore a milky baban riga. From the governor’s living room, the two kinsmen of the defunct Gongola state went to sit outside, in white rubber chairs. This discussed for several hours. Most of the discussions centred on the governor’s air crash and the political impasse in Taraba. Present were their aides and journalists who later interviewed the former Adamawa governor. Haruna warned politicians, particularly the Taraba State House of Assembly members to stop pl...

The political space is becoming   more free and conducive for women to participate as two female Senators – Helen Esuene (PDP, Akwa Ibom South) and Aisha Jummai Al- Hassan (PDP, Taraba North) – on Wednesday declared their ambition to contest the 2015 governorship election in their respective states. The women declared their intention at a joint press briefing held at the National Assembly. According to them, they decided to contest the governorship election of their respective states to complement the efforts men had been making over the years in the same capacity. They also pledged to “bring about more impactful governance on citizens of the states as far as genuine development was concerned”. Esuene said, “We are not saying we are better than men that have been occupying these positions over the years in the two states and infact across the 36 states of the federation. “We are only saying as responsible women, we shall be less distracted in office like any of the men...