Taraba Express, Taraba, Jalingo (2025)

01/06/2025

Governor Agbu Kefas has stated that a preliminary police report indicated his sister was killed by a police es**rt.

In December, Atsi Kefas was said to have died from a gunshot wound after a police officer allegedly opened fire while attempting to repel an attack on their convoy by gunmen.

Speaking during a town hall meeting held to commemorate his second year in office, Governor Kefas said that even in moments of personal grief, such as the death of his sister, he remains resilient because his duty to serve is greater than his personal pain.

“Join me to observe a minute of silence in her honour and also those killed in the Karim Lamido crisis, may their souls rest in peace,” Channels Television quoted him as saying.

“However, in the case of my sister Atsi, a preliminary police report revealed that she died as a result of severe gunshot injuries sustained from shots by one of the police es**rts in the vehicle.

“Investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the circumstances so that justice will prevail. You can see that this work is not for applause, it is for legacy, future, and for you all. Please, let us in a positive spirit move Taraba forward.

“In these two years, you can agree with me that Taraba is no longer on the sideline, we are leading with discipline, technology, and a good heart.

“This is your time, this is your Taraba, let us rise together, believe again, let us move Taraba forward.

“I’m building the Taraba where governance is measured not by sentiment but by results. We are shifting from promises to results.

“Every programme must deliver real value to our people.”

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Governor Agbu Kefas has stated that a preliminary police report indicated his sister was killed by a police es**rt. In December, Atsi Kefas was said to have died from a gunshot wound after a police officer allegedly opened fire while attempting to repel an attack on their convoy by gunmen. Speaking....

26/05/2025

Chairman of the Munga Youth Forum, Suleiman Joel, confirmed the high casualty rate and described the massacre as a deliberate and systematic act.

He said, “We are still recovering the dead bodies, but I can tell you that the casualty figure is high. These are not isolated killings. It is a calculated extermination. People who returned to their homes based on security assurances have now been killed. What do we tell their families?”

Survivors painted a grim picture of the coordinated attack, describing how the gunmen used AK-47 rifles and machetes to kill, torch homes, and terrorize residents.

“We didn’t know where to run to,” said Soja Emmanuel, a survivor. “They came around 2am, shooting sporadically. People jumped out of their homes into the bush. Some didn’t make it.”

Saturday’s burial was marked by tears and anguish as bereaved families mourned their loved ones. Community leader Augustine Munga, who lost two brothers, called for urgent government action to halt the bloodshed and ensure justice.

“The mass burial took place here in Munga Lalau and was conducted by soldiers and other security personnel,” Munga said.

Another resident, who lost four relatives, suggested that the violence was orchestrated by herders hired to wreak havoc.

“We all slept in the bush yesterday. The sound of gunshots that rent the air was beyond conventional herdsmen. We fled to the mountains and returned home this morning to see our houses razed,” he said, struggling to speak through tears.

Madam Sarah Bitrus, who lost her husband and two other family members, was overcome with emotion. With tears flowing, she simply said, “My world has ended.”

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Grief engulfed Munga Lalau and Munga Doso communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State as mass burials were held on Saturday for villagers slain by suspected herdsmen. The tragic incident unfolded in the early hours of Friday when heavily armed assailants, estimated to be over 5...

19/05/2025

The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended two suspects linked to kidnapping, banditry, and unlawful possession of fi****ms in Taraba State.

According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, officers from the Taraba State Command, acting on credible intelligence, tracked down a gang of suspected kidnappers. During the operation, one of the suspects, identified as Lookman Tanko, was arrested. Recovered from him were one AK-47 rifle, one pump-action shotgun, and a long-barrel gun.

In a separate operation, detectives from the Force Intelligence Department's Intelligence Response Team (FID IRT) arrested 45-year-old Peter Apai of Mubai District, Ardo Kola LGA, also in Taraba State. The police seized one AK-47 rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and an AK-47 magazine from the suspect.

Both suspects are currently in custody and undergoing investigation. The police confirmed they will be charged to court once the investigations are concluded

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The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended two suspects linked to kidnapping, banditry, and unlawful possession of fi****ms in Taraba State. According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, officers from the Taraba State Command, acting on credible intelligence, tracked down a gang....

17/05/2025

Responding swiftly, troops from 6 Brigade, working with operatives of Operation Safe Haven in Wase LGA of Plateau State, pursued the gang to Komodoro village in Karim Lamido. The bandits, retreating through the river into Daji Madam Forest in Plateau, engaged the forces in a gunfight.

Captain Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 6 Brigade, confirmed the outcome: two bandits were neutralised and approximately 1,000 cattle were recovered.

The livestock were returned to the Jebjeb community, where authorities are now verifying ownership to ensure proper handover.

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In a successful joint operation, troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Brigade and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke, alongside personnel from Operation Safe Haven, have killed two armed bandits and recovered roughly 1,000 stolen cattle in a coordinated raid across Taraba and Plateau States. The operat...

16/05/2025

The Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refuted circulating rumors suggesting that Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas is planning to leave the party.

Reaffirming the PDP's dominance in the region, the party emphasized that Taraba remains its most reliable base in Northern Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Taraba State PDP Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, addressed the speculation, underscoring the state's unwavering political loyalty to the PDP and dispelling claims of internal discord.

“Taraba State is the stronghold of PDP in Northern Nigeria,” Bawa asserted. “While other states in Northern Nigeria have explored opposition parties, Taraba has remained a steadfast PDP bastion.”

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The Taraba State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refuted circulating rumors suggesting that Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas is planning to leave the party. Reaffirming the PDP's dominance in the region, the party emphasized that Taraba remains its most reliable base in Northern Nigeria. In...

21/04/2025

Nearly a year after their appointments were publicly announced, a total of 1,761 political aides to Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, are yet to receive their salaries or allowances.

Several appointees have voiced deep frustration about the emotional and financial toll the delay has had on them.

“Since my name was listed as an adviser to the governor, people have been trooping to my house with all kinds of requests. I attend more events, receive countless calls for help, yet I haven’t received a single Kobo from the government. It’s really challenging,” one appointee lamented.

Another aide shared: “It’s difficult to show up in public because people see me as a government official. I can’t even tell them we haven’t been paid; that would feel like betraying the governor. I only hope he fast-tracks the process so we can get paid and reduce this burden.”

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Nearly a year after their appointments were publicly announced, a total of 1,761 political aides to Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, are yet to receive their salaries or allowances. The first batch of appointments, consisting of 134 individuals, was made public on June 19, 2024, via the office...

20/04/2025

In a statement, STYCOP's National President, Amb. Rikwense Muri, acknowledged Danjuma's contributions to Nigeria's political history but argued that honoring an active political figure with such a renaming is not only inappropriate but could deepen existing ethnic and religious divides within the state.

Muri explained, “While we acknowledge General T.Y. Danjuma’s contributions to Nigeria’s political landscape, we must emphasize that honoring an active political figure with such a significant renaming is not only inappropriate but may also exacerbate the existing ethnic and religious divisions within our state.”

He further stated, “Naming government institutions should reflect our collective values and aspirations as a diverse community,” and pointed to examples in Katsina and Niger States, where government houses were not named after political figures like Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida, as a way to foster unity.

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The Southern Taraba Youth Coalition for Peace (STYCOP) on Sunday, April 20, criticized Governor Agbu Kefas’s decision to rename the Taraba State Government House in Jalingo, as well as the governor’s lodges in Abuja, Wukari, and Takum, after General T.Y. Danjuma. In a statement, STYCOP's Nationa...

20/04/2025

“Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue… With a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil,” Kukah declared.

While acknowledging that Tinubu inherited many of Nigeria’s current crises, Kukah emphasized that leadership is not about blame but about bold, compassionate action.

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In a passionate Easter vigil message delivered on Saturday, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto made a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to rescue Nigerians from what he described as a

20/04/2025

“The frivolous issuance of titles based on political motives rather than the track records of excellence by the recipients must stop,” the governor warned. “Such titles will be revoked, together with other consequences.”

Despite his warning, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening traditional institutions to better serve the people.

On April 15, 2025, Governor Agbu Kefas issued a strong caution to traditional rulers in Taraba State against the indiscriminate and politically motivated conferment of traditional titles. The warning came during a staff of office presentation ceremony held at the T.Y. Danjuma House in Jalingo, the s...

20/04/2025

“I told you before to rise and defend yourselves, and I’m saying it again—this time with even more urgency,” he declared. “Those attacking you are heavily armed. Nobody knows how they got such weapons, but you too should find a way to arm yourselves. Wherever they got theirs from, get yours too.”

The elder statesman warned that the motive behind the violence is not just destruction, but conquest.

Retired General and former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has urged the people of Taraba State to take their security into their own hands amid growing concerns over violent attacks in the region. Speaking during an appreciation event with his staff on Friday night in Takum—his ho...

19/04/2025

According to the governor, 27 corpses were discovered in Logo and 28 in Ukum, while Katsina-Ala LGA recorded no fatalities. He added that a grieving family had already buried one of their dead prior to the official count.

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The death toll from the recent wave of armed attacks on communities in Benue State has climbed to 56, following coordinated assaults across several local government areas. Our correspondent reports that rural communities in the Sankera axis — encompassing Ukum, Logo, and Katsina-Ala LGAs — came ...

19/04/2025

Despite these reforms, the IMF noted that their positive effects have yet to filter down to the broader population. High poverty rates and widespread food insecurity remain pressing issues.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has acknowledged that Nigeria’s economic reforms since 2023 have significantly strengthened the country's ability to withstand external economic shocks. This assessment was presented in the IMF’s 2025 Article IV Consultation report, released on Friday. The r...

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