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Tag: Taraba

  • Troops attack bandits in Taraba, recover weapons

    Troops attack bandits in Taraba, recover weapons

    The troops of 6 Brigade, Jalingo, Friday night engaged in a fierce battle with bandits in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba, and recoverd some weapons in the process.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Jalingo by Lt. Olabodunde Oni, Public Relations Officer of the brigade.

    It stated that the attack occurred following the sound of gunshots near a disputed land along Tsukundi Road.

    “Upon receiving the information, the troops of 93 Battalion, under 6 Brigade, swiftly mobilised to the scene.

    “They discovered two individuals dead, presumably shot by unknown persons. Additionally, one person sustained a gunshot wound and was immediately given medical attention by the soldiers.

    “In a display of bravery and professionalism, the gallant troops combed the surrounding bushes near the incident area.

    “And  upon encountering the armed groups, the troops effectively deployed their superior firepower, compelling the militias to abandon their positions and flee“, he said.

    He said the troops exploited the area and recovered a cache of weapons.

    “They include 2 AK 47 Rifles with 36 Rounds of 7.62 MM Special ammunition, 10 empty cases of 7.62 MM, 1 Double Barrel Rifle and 1 Single Barrel Rifle with 14 live cartridges,” he stated.

    He also said the encounter served as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the military in maintaining peace and security in the state.

     

  • JUST IN : Supreme Court declares Agbu Kefas as Taraba Governor

    JUST IN : Supreme Court declares Agbu Kefas as Taraba Governor

    The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Agbu Kefas as governor of Taraba State.

    The apex court, in a unanimous decision on Thursday, dismissed the appeal by Professor Yahaya Sani of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) for grossly lacking in merit.

    Sani had asked the apex court to set aside the victory of Governor Kefas Agbu in the March 18, 2023, governorship election.

    He had alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act, irregularities, and other malpractices.

    He is asked by the court to pronounce him the winner of the election on the grounds of scoring a majority of the lawful votes cast.

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja, had in November dismissed Sani’s appeal on the Tribunal’s judgement upholding Kefas’ election.

    In a unanimous decision, the appellate court dismissed the appeal of the NNPP for lacking merit, as did the Tribunal on September 30.

    Governor Kefas had polled 257,926 votes to defeat Yahaya who got 202,277 votes in the March 18, 2023, governorship election.

  • Confusion as traditional ruler, 21 others kidnapped in Taraba

    Confusion as traditional ruler, 21 others kidnapped in Taraba

    Twenty-one people, including a traditional ruler Alhaji Umaru Nyala, have been kidnapped in the Pupule community of Yorro local Government Area of Taraba State.

    They were picked by heavily armed gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who invaded the village at about 2:00 am on Tuesday, shooting sporadically in different parts of the community.

    An eyewitness who spoke to Channels Television disclosed that among the 22 people kidnapped was a pregnant woman, people of the same family, and the son of the 3rd class chief and his security orderly.

    This is the third time in the series that kidnapping for ransom happened in the village in less than six months without any suspect arrested.

    The eyewitness also revealed that residents are now living in fear in the community as some are seen fleeing the village for haven.

    The Police are yet to confirm the incident, saying that they have dispatched their tactical squad to the scene for investigation to unravel more details of the incident.

     

  • Student stabs teacher to death in Taraba

    Student stabs teacher to death in Taraba

    Bassey Sardauna, a secondary school teacher  has been killed by students on Wednesday in Jalingo, Bayelsa state capital.

    The murder of Sardauna has been confirmed by the  Taraba State Command of the Nigerian Police Force.

    According to the command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Usman, the deceased was a staffer of the Model Secondary School, Jalingo.

    He said the primary suspect, whom he described as an ex-student of the school, conspired with his friends in the school and stabbed the teacher, who was confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Jalingo, where he was taken for treatment.

    Usman affirmed that the command has commenced an investigation into the case.
    Continuing, he said that efforts are ongoing to apprehend every individual involved in the killing and urged anyone with useful information on their whereabouts to reach out to the command.
    It was gathered that the attack on the deceased came following his recent decision to punish some students at the school. Those among the students who had been nursing ill feelings towards the teacher allegedly ambushed him on his way home.

    A medical staff at the medical centre who also confirmed the incident said the teacher gave up the ghost a few hours after he was rushed to the hospital.

    However, some of the staffers of the school confimed the incident while alleging that many of the students of the school have started exhibiting negative attitude especially students in the Senior Secondary School, urging the police to bring all the students involved to book.

    The management of the Model Secondary School, Jalingo is yet to react to the ugly incident.

     

     

  • Taskforce seizes seven trucks loaded with precious stones in Taraba

    Taskforce seizes seven trucks loaded with precious stones in Taraba

    Special Taskforce Committee  intercepted Seven trucks fully loaded with precious stones suspected to be fluoride on Monday  in Taraba state.

    The arrest was made possible by the state government House’s Strike Force, in Jalingo.

    Jamiu Emmanuel, the commander of the strike force, explained that he trucks were intercepted along Anyim in the Wukari axis of Wukari local government council of the state.

    He said that they took the precious stones from the famous mining site in Akwana, in Wukari local government council of the state, when the taskforce intercepted them.

    The task force revealed that before their arrest, the suspects had planned to prevent the government from coming to the area to stop them from perpetrating illegal mining.

    It claimed that the owners of the trucks hailed from both Rivers and Enugu States, and were being aided by persons from Akwana village in Taraba State.

    Meanwhile, the truck drivers were said to have taken to their heels on sighting the task force, which compelled the task force to hire drivers to move the trucks to the state capital.

    Recall that Governor, Agbu Kefas, had placed a ban on all forms of mining activities in the nooks and crannies of the state and set up a mobile court to try violators of the executive order.

  • Gunmen abduct Catholic Priest in Taraba

    Gunmen abduct Catholic Priest in Taraba

    The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, Most Rev Mark Nzukwein, on Sunday confirmed the abduction of a priest of St Ann’s Parish in Sarkin Kudu, Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Communication Director of the Diocese, Rev.  Fr. John Jerome in Jalingo.

    He said the priest, Very Rev. Fr Thaddeus Tarhembe, was abducted by four armed men who invaded his rectory at about 2 a.m on Sunday.

    Nzukwein called on the public and all people of goodwill to pray for the safety and quick release of the priest by the abductors who are yet to make contact.

    Meanwhile, efforts to get reaction of the police to the incident was unsuccessful, as the spokesman of the Police Command in Taraba, SP Abdullahi Usman, did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him.

  • Tribunal’s verdict affirms will of Taraba people – Kefas

    Tribunal’s verdict affirms will of Taraba people – Kefas

    Gov. Agbu Kefas of Taraba has described the judgement delivered by the Governorship Election Tribunal in the state, as an affirmation of the will of the people.

    The governor said this in a statement by Mr. Emma Belo, his Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications, issued on Saturday in Jalingo.

    The tribunal in a judgment delivered on Saturday, upheld Kefas’ election as governor of the state.

    Kefas, who also dedicated his victory at the tribunal to the people of the state, called on his opponents to close ranks and support his administration toward moving the state forward.

    The governor enjoined all citizens in the state to accept the judgement as will of God and that of the majority of the people.

    ”This victory belongs to all Taraba people and every lover of democracy,”he said.

    The governor commended the judges in the tribunal for standing to their professional calling and upholding truth, justice and fairness.

  • Tribunal affirms Kefas as Taraba governor

    Tribunal affirms Kefas as Taraba governor

    The Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jalingo, on Saturday upheld the election of Gov. Agbu Kefas of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), as the governor of the state.

    The three man panel headed by Justice Ayo Sunmonu dismissed the petition filed by the New Nigerian Peoples Party  (NNPP) and its governorship candidate Prof. Yahaya Sani, on the ground of lack of sufficient evidence.

    Sunmonu dismissed the petition stating that the petitioners failed to justify the relief they sorted for.

    ”The petitioner failed to prove his ground that the governor was not duly elected, and therefore, the petition, lacked merit,” he said.

    Mr Sam Adda, the Councel to the governor applauded the judgement.

    “It is a landmark judgment,” he said.

    The NNPP and its gubernatorial candidate, had filed a petition before the tribunal seeking for the cancellation of the election alleging that it was characterised by irregularities.

    Other relief sort by the NNPP was for the tribunal to order for a fresh election in the state.

    Apart from the alleged irregularities, the party also alleged non compliance with the electoral act 2022, as major reason for the demand for the cancellation of the election among others.

  • Governor Kefas imposes 24-hour curfew in some parts of Taraba

    Governor Kefas imposes 24-hour curfew in some parts of Taraba

    Following the renewed violence and unabated killings in some parts of Taraba,Governor Agbu Kefas has has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Karim-Lamido Local Government Council.

    Kefas Chief Press Secretary, Yusuf Sanda announced a dawn-to-dusk curfew, on Sunday evening via a statement signed and released by him.

    Several people were confirmed killed and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in Wurkun and Karinjo communities between yesterday and today.

    The curfew, according to the statement, followed renewed communal conflicts in some parts of the local government council.

    Security agencies, as further stated in the statement, have been mandated to ensure strict compliance.

    “Any person or group of persons found violating the order shall be dealt with in accordance with the law, ” the governor warned.

    He also directed all the ward heads, village heads, traditional rulers, and stakeholders in the council, to ensure strict compliance of the directive in their various domains.

  • Taraba: Gov. Kefas declares 24 hours curfew in Karim-Lamido LGA as Communal conflicts claims over 7 lives

    Taraba: Gov. Kefas declares 24 hours curfew in Karim-Lamido LGA as Communal conflicts claims over 7 lives

    The  Governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas has declared an immediate 24-hours curfew in Karim town, headquarters of Karim-lamido local  government and its environs to forestall further killings in the area.

    According to a statement from the Chief preess Secretary to the Governor,  Yusuf Sanda, the curfew followed renewed communal conflicts between  the Wurkum and  Karimjo ethnic groups in some parts of the local  government.

    The statement added that Security Agencies have been mandated to ensure strict compliance and any person or group of persons found violating the order  be dealt with in accordance with the law.

    All ward heads, village heads, traditional rulers, and stakeholders in Karim Lamido LGA are also directed to ensure complete compliance.

    Meanwhile the Taraba State Police Command on Sunday confirmed the fresh violence between the two ethnic groups.

    The command public relations officer (DSP), Usman Abdulahi who confirmed the development said, the violence started in the early hours of Saturday when the Karimjo ethnic launched a heavy attack on the Wurkun ethnic.

    The command’s spokesman said the number of casualties was yet to be ascertained but a joint security team of military and the police have been drafted to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

    Abdullahi told our correspondent that the fresh crises between the two ethnic groups started in form of “guerilla attacks on Saturday “.

    “In the last few days, there have been pockets of guerilla attacks between Karimjo and the Wurkun people in the area. It has been either the Karimjos attack the Wurkuns and the Wurkuns attack in return or, the Wurkuns attack the Karimjos and they also attack in return before the Karimjos eventually launched a heavy one on the Wurkuns at around 3:am on Saturday”.  He confirmed.

    Our correspondent reports that the crisis between the two ethnic groups first started early April following the installation of a Wurkum as third class Chief of Karim town to replace his late father by the former Governor, Darius Ishaku.

    It was gathered that the Karimjo ethnic group opposed the  installation of the new chief which they claimed it was their turn.

    It was gathered that over 7 persons have been killed while several others were injured since the renewed hostilities began on Saturday.