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Tag: Jalingo

  • Nigeria deserves a digital president – Tambuwal

    Governor of Sokoto state and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has said “Nigeria deserves a digital president, not an analogue leader.”

    Speaking in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital, during a campaign visit to seek support, Tambuwal said the world has become a global village that is fast moving and Nigeria cannot be left behind. “And to meet up, Nigeria needs a true digital leader to showcase the country to the world,” he said.

    The aspirant promised, that if he wins, he will engage the youth in science and technology so as to compete anywhere. “Anywhere you go, you will find Nigerians doing better. The president of Nigeria must not be an economist to improve the economy of the country, but to have the knowledge to appoint the right people.

    “With my knowledge, I know the right people to assemble; I will leverage on the network of knowledge of brothers and sisters to solve Nigeria’s problems. Nigeria needs a president with people that can advise him properly to get quality output.”

    He described his visit to Taraba as homecoming and fulfilling, adding that he has a very long standing relationship with Governor Darius Ishaku, his deputy Haruna Manu and the people of Taraba.

    Read Also: Nigerians in Diaspora seek Buhari’s intervention on voting right

    Tambuwal, a lawyer and former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, commended his Taraba counterpart (Ishaku) for his infrastructural development and peace efforts in the state, given the scale of herdsmen violence. “Taraba is dear to all of us; it is so highly endowed with diverse people and mineral resources. We must transform it.”

    Deputy Governor, Haruna Manu, who stood for Governor Darius Ishaku, told Tambuwal that “Taraba has been a PDP State since 1999 and still waxing strong.”

    “Taraba will deliver 90 percent votes to you (Tambuwal) at the election, if you get the ticket. If you are looking for a true Nigerian, go for Tambuwal. He is detribalised; he gives a sense of belonging to everyone. Any member who served at the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2015 can attest to that. He has no religious or tribal sentiments.

    “With leaders like Tambuwal, the Nigerian Project shall be realised. If he becomes president he will assemble the best crops of people. The agricultural sector that is to take over oil has not been developed. Insecurity is on the rise and Nigeria needs a leader that can fix these problems,” Manu said.

  • Engage graduates in farming,Taraba Govt urged

    A member of the Taraba Business Community, Alhaji Sani Baba, on Thursday urged Taraba Government to engage graduates in its mechanised farming to check unemployment.

    Baba, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, SBG Global Services, said that graduates of College of Agriculture Jalingo, should be involved in the scheme.

    He gave the advice at an interaction with journalists in Jalingo.

    He said that the state government would set aside large expanse of land for crops and animal production in the three senatorial districts and engage the graduates to work on the farms.

    According to him, portions of the farms can be shared to youths to cultivate different types of crops and government should be ready to buy off from them after harvest to encourage them.

    Read Also:UNILORIN workers, students to get 5,000 hectares for farming

    “Taraba and Rivers Governments can partner to produce rice, cassava and others crops to boost their economy.

    “Today, Lagos and Kebbi are partnering to produce Lake Rice and you can see that the result is wonderful.

    “We need to think beyond oil and find ways of improving our economy,” Baba said.

    He commended the Taraba Green House project, noting that the huge amount of money spent on it could have engaged over 4,000 youths in farming and the result could be far better.

    “The governor can do well to meet the business community and interface with us on how to implement some of his policies, especially those that have to do with empowerment and economy of the state,” Baba said.

    He explained that if agriculture was given its rightful place, Taraba would soon become self-reliant.

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted moisture in the atmosphere with chances of thunderstorms and rainfall over most parts of the country for Wednesday.

    NiMet made this known in its Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday.

    It envisaged isolated thunderstorms around the northwestern parts of the country, especially over Nguru, Kano, Katsina and Dutse axis in the morning hours.

    The agency predicted that other parts of the northeast cities would experience thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening hours.

    NiMet said that day and night temperature in the northern region would be in the ranges of 29 – 34 degree Celsius and 22 – 23 degree Celsius respectively.

    It predicted moderate rains over the high grounds of the central cities of Mambilla plateau, Yola, and Taraba axis with localised thunderstorms over Abuja, Minna, Ilorin and Bida axis.

    The agency said that, the remaining parts of the central cities would be in cloudy conditions all through the morning hours.

    NiMet said that cloudy conditions would be expected over the central cities with the exception of Bauchi, Jos, Nassarawa Makurdi, Kaduna, Lokoja, Abuja, Jalingo and Yola that would experience thunderstorms and rains in the afternoon and evening hours.

    It said that day and night temperature in the central states would be in the range of 27 – 31degree Celsius and 22– 23 degree Celsius respectively, except for Jos that would be between 24 and 14 degree Celsius.

    The agency predicted light and moderate rains over the southern cities throughout the forecast period.

    It added that, day and night temperature in the southern states would be in the range of 29- 31 degree Celsius and 21– 23 degree Celsius respectively.

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Monday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted influx of moisture and increased heat energy expected to produce thunderstorms and rains over most places in the country for Monday.

    NiMet made this known in its Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Sunday.

    It envisaged Thunderstorms over Sokoto, Gusau and Kano in the morning hours and thunderstorms over most places in the afternoon and evening period.

    It added that, day and night temperature in the northern states would be in the ranges of 28 – 30 degree Celsius and 20 – 22 degree Celsius respectively.

    NiMet said that, moderate rains would be expected over Bauchi, Gombe, Mambilla Plateau, Jalingo, Jos and Abuja in the morning hours.

    According to it, thunderstorms and rains are expected over the entire north central area in the afternoon and evening hours.

    It said that, day and night temperature in the region would be in the range of 27- 29 degree Celsius and 21- 23 degree Celsius respectively, except for Jos that would be between 22 – 15 degree Celsius.

    The agency predicted light rains over Uyo, Port-Harcourt, Calabar and Eket in the morning with moderate rains over most places in the southern states in the afternoon and evening hours,

    NiMet said that, day and night temperature would be in range of 27and 28 degrees Celsius respectively.

  • NiMet predicts cloudy weather, rain, thunderstorm for Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy conditions over the central states of the country with prospects of thunderstorm and rain over Jalingo and Mambilla Plateau, Lafia, Minna and Abuja on Saturday morning.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Friday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 23 to 31 and 14 to 24 degrees celsius respectively.

    It added that there were chances of thunderstorm and rain over Abuja, Lokoja, Jos, Makurdi, Lafia, Minna, Ilorin and Taraba axis during the afternoon and evening hours.

    The agency predicted southern states would experience cloudy skies in the morning with day and night temperatures in the range of 25 to 31 and 21 to 24 degrees celsius respectively.

    It also predicted prospects of rain over Ado Ekiti, Akure, Oshogbo, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Lagos,
    Ijebu-Ode, Enugu, Umuahia, Abakaliki, Owerri, Asaba, Benin, Yenagoa, Port-Harcourt, Calabar and Eket axis in the afternoon and evening hours.

    According to NiMet, northern states will experience cloudy conditions over some parts of
    the northwest with thunderstorm and rain over Maiduguri,
    Potiskum, Nguru, Dutse, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina, Gusau, Kano and Zaria
    during the morning hours.

    “However, thunderstorm is envisaged over the
    whole of this region during the afternoon and evening hours with day and night
    temperatures of 30 to 34 and 20 to 23 degrees celsius respectively.

    “Atmospheric conditions are favourable for rainfall activities across the country within the next 72 hours,” NiMet predicts.

  • Taraba police commissioner attacked, scores feared killed

    The Commissioner of police in Taraba State, David Akinremi, was on Monday attacked by irate youths.

    He was stoned in the head.

    The incident occurred at Tudun Wada area of Jalingo in the morning.

    The police chief was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and later discharged.

    Police spokesman, David Misal, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the commissioner was in good health, as at press time. Although, he did not pick call when The Nation rang his telephone line.

    Misal told reporters in Jalingo -the Taraba State capital, that the police commissioner and his men had gone to Tudun Wada to restore normalcy, following reports of youths unrest, “only for him to be stoned in the head.”

    Several arrests were made.

    Unconfirmed reports suggested that some of the youths were killed by the police, which Misal denied knowledge of.

    The police spokesman said: “On Monday, some irate youths armed with dangerous weapons including cutlasses, axes and other objects started disturbing the peace of residents around Tudun Wada and Gada Boboji areas of Jalingo town.

    “Our men were deployed there and normalcy returned. However, this morning we got reports that the boys had come out again in large numbers brandishing these weapons and the situation was so bad that the commissioner of police decided to go there himself with other officers.

    “In the course of addressing the youths, to calm them down, he was stoned in the head.

    “He was immediately rushed to the hospital and treated of the injury. For now, he has been discharged and is taking his rest at home.

    “As we speak, a serious operation in going on there to calm the situation and forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area”.

    Read Also: Taraba killings: Police arrest four suspects

    Misal warned that the command would never sit back and watch people take the law into their own hands and unleash mayhem on the people.

    “I can assure you that the command would make sure that normalcy is completely maintained in the area and the perpetrators of this crime be are brought to book. Several arrests have been made already and thorough investigation would be carried out.

    “Let me use this opportunity to call on members of the public to always report any suspicious elements to the police, with assurance that their identities would be safeguarded.

    “The police in the state operate with the best professional practice and would not tolerate anyone assaulting officers who are making huge sacrifices to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizens”, Misal said.

  • NiMet predicts rains, thunderstorms for Monday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy skies over the central states of the country on Monday morning with prospects of rains over Abuja, Bauchi, Gombe, Jos, Jalingo, Niger, Yola and Kaduna cities.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Sunday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 27 to 33 and 17 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that localised thunderstorms were probable over the region in the afternoon and evening period.

    The agency predicted southern states would experience cloudy conditions over inland cities with intermittent rains over the coastal cities in the morning hours.

    It also predicted prospects of thunderstorm and rains over the region in the afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures in the range of 28 to 32 and 20 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience thunderstorms with cloudy morning over Maiduguri, Nguru and Potiskum, with day and night temperatures of 30 to 36 and 20 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over Maiduguri, Nguru, and Potiskum axis, while the entire region is likely to be cloudy.

    “There are indications of increased cloudiness with prospects of intermittent rains and thunderstorms over the country within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

  • Court rejects Nyame’s bid for bail

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gudu, Abuja Wednesday rejected an application for bail filed by the immediate past Taraba State Governor Reverend Jolly Nyame.

    At resumed hearing Wednesday counsel to the defendant Mr Olalekan Ojo brought an application of 29 paragraph affidavit with two medical reports from Jalingo urging the court to release the defendant on bail due to health reasons.

    According to Ojo; “I urge this honourable court to grant the defendant bail on health grounds because as it is he is suffering from hypertension and diabetes”

    In response to the application filed by his learned brother the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the application for bail because the two medical reports cannot be relied upon.

    Read Also:N1.64b fraud: Ex-Governor Nyame goes to jail for 28yrs

    ”My lord the defendant did not state that the prison authorities are unable to take care of his illment and so i urge my lord to dismiss the application for bail,” Mr Jacobs said.

    In her ruling Justice Adebukola Banjoko rejected the defendant’s application for bail because his medical reports tendered in court are contradictory.

    ”The defendant’s medical reports are contradictory and they don’t collerate in anyway.His health ought to be taken care of by the prison authorities,” Justice Banjoko held.

    Justice Banjoko also added that the defendant failed to prove that the medical team in the Kuje prison lack medical facilities.

    However on the 30th of May Justice Adebukola Banjoko had convicted the ex-governor on 27 out of the 41 counts contained in the charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in July 2007.

    The breakdown of the sentence is as follows: 14 years upon conviction for the offence of criminal breach of trust; 7 years for receiving gratification; 5 years for obtaining valuable public properties without consideration, and 2 years for criminal misappropriation.

    The judge said the sentences would run concurrently, implying that the ex-governor may end up spending 14 years in prison.

    Justice Banjoko, who said the defendant betrayed his claim to be a clergyman and Reverend, wondered why it was only the ex-governor that was prosecuted in view of the level of impunity displayed, while Nyame was in office.

    The judge, in the over 300-page judgment, which she read for over six hours, said after carefully examining all the evidence tendered by the prosecution, she was left with no option than to conclude that it was “either Nyame entered into office without a corrupt mind, but later became corrupt or he was corrupt ab-initio.

  • Taraba govt. urges residents to plant trees to protect environment

    Mr Julius Butu, the Executive Secretary, Taraba Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA) on Friday urged the people of the state to embark on massive tree planting to protect the environment.

    Butu told newsmen in Jalingo that planting trees would help in preserving the environment for conducive human and animal habitation.

    He noted that government was planning to lead the tree planting campaign for a friendly environment. “I want to appeal to all residents of Taraba to embark on massive planting of trees.

    “Nigeria is signatory to Paris Agreement that encourages protection of the environment by all members and there is no other way to achieve this than to plant more trees.

    Read Also: ‘Why we don’t approve every request to fell trees’

    “We urge the people of the state to plant both economic and other trees to check hazards associated with absence of trees.

    “We appeal to the people to shun harmful environmental practices such as bush burning, deforestation and indiscriminate disposal of plastic and other waste, ‘’ Butu said.

    The executive secretary said the state government through TEPA had taken steps to check indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste by creating awareness among motorists, organisations, among others, to keep wastebaskets.

    He said that the state government had concluded plans to procure a waste recycling machine to encourage people to dispose waste properly and even earn little income from it.

    Butu explained that a clean environment would guarantee a healthy living for human beings and animals.

    NAN

  • ‘New Taraba’ endorses Umar for 2019 governorship

    One of the strongest political groups in Taraba State, the New Taraba Agenda, on Friday endorsed Alh. Aliyu Umar, a retired director, national boundary service commission, to run for the 2019 governorship election.

    The endorsement took place at Fast Track Hotel, Jalingo -the Taraba State capital. In attendance were leaders of the group and supporters of Umar from the state’s 16 local government councils and 168 wards.

    The endorsement took the form of a parliamentary sitting. Former Speaker, Hamidu Suleiman, moved the motion for the endorsement of Umar to run for the governorship in APC as a representative of the New Taraba Agenda.

    Alh. Baba Muhammed, former House of Assembly Majority Leader, seconded the motion. Former Speaker, Ibrahim Useni, who presided over the proceedings, asked the delegates (congress) and they all agreed that Umar was the right candidate.

    The convener, Kabiru Jalo, a former federal House of Representatives, in a press conference, said the New Taraba Agenda had, for long, been observing the state of affairs of Taraba State and the situation was “horrible.”

    “Taraba State is in a horrible state. And we have looked and analysed the situation; how we can get out of here.

    “Today we have come to a conclusion, and I can tell you on good authority that we have zeroed down on the right person, Alh. Aliyu Umar. Taraba State has been backward in development and Umar is the right person for the job.

    “We have therefore, assembled all our representatives across the state to endorse him for the governorship election come 2019.

    “He (Umar) is a local, national and international breed, who understands the socio-economic and political landscape of the State,” the convener said.

    The group said it will shun “politics of religion, regionalism and ethnicity,” but present a Taraban and Nigerian, and sell his “confidence” for the election.

    “It’s about Taraba, not a one person project. We are going to do it differently, not the way people politick,” Jalo said

    The group allayed fears on the factional camps within the APC in Taraba. “We are going to collaborate and Umar will come out victorious with the APC ticket, without rancor. And together, the APC will win the governorship in Taraba State.”