2027: Taraba North senatorial Aspirant Bandawaire rejects consensus, demands direct APC primaries

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

The Senatorial aspirant for Taraba North, Hon. Kabiru Bello Bandawaire, has rejected moves toward consensus in the All Progressives Congress primaries, insisting on a direct and transparent process.

Bandawaire made this known on Friday in Jalingo while interacting with newsmen, noted that his priority is representing the people, not the government, and argued that consensus undermines democratic choice. 

Bandawaire questioned why a three-term senator would push for consensus instead of primaries, asking, "What is the fear about? If you opt for consensus in the primary election, what about the general elections? That is not democracy.

"First and foremost, it is not about the government, it is about the people. I am representing the interest of the people, on this issue of consensus, I am not consenting to it at all. All I want is direct primaries, and direct primaries should be under a transparent process. The beauty of democracy is that the majority is always welcome.

"The fillers I am getting are that the governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, needs to do more homework. People are digging a grave for him. I am begging him to please allow direct primaries to go on seamlessly. He should not interfere, because interference will have a negative effect," he said.

Bandawaire while reacting to comments at a recent stakeholders’ meeting that primaries waste resources, he explained that it is the party, not the state government should fund the process. 

He challenged the governor to test his own stance on consensus by asking the incumbent northern senator to step down for him. 

"The party sold forms, we purchased forms. I purchased a form for N20,000,000, likewise other people, so the party has the responsibility to fund its activities, not the state government.

"Since I am not consenting to consensus, let the governor try whether the northern senator will consent to consensus by choosing me, and see whether he will agree. If he is not going to agree, why should I agree?" he said.

Jalingo Catholic Diocese Begins Communication Week with Call for Responsible Media Use

Catholic Church of Jalingo Diocese Rev. Charles Hammawa (photo source: Unitatis Media)

 By Thomas Samuel 

The Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Charles Hammawa, has urged Christians to use technological advancement to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bishop made the call during the opening session of a week-long activity marking this year’s Communication Week.

Bishop Charles said communication is integral to human existence and that its application could either make or mar harmonious coexistence in society.

He said modern-day technology has changed the manner in which communication is created, shared, and consumed, hence the decision by the mother church to set aside a period to reflect and chart a course toward making effective use of available platforms to promote peace, love, and combat hate and misinformation.

In his speech, the Director of Communications of Jalingo Diocese, Abraham Sauman, said the Diocese was observing the week for the first time.

Director communication father Abraham Sauman (photo source: Unitatis Media)

He explained that in the past, the communication unit organized activities to mark the day, but this year the invitation was extended to communication professionals as part of efforts to strengthen the church’s media communication.

“It is within this understanding that the Catholic Church annually celebrates World Communications Day. Instituted by the Second Vatican Council through the decree "Inter Mirifica", World Communications Day invites the faithful to reflect on the role of communication and the media in the mission of the Church and in human society. The Church recognizes that communication is not secondary to evangelization; rather, it is at the heart of the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations,” he added.

Father Abraham further said: “The Holy Father (Pope Leo) reminds us that communication is deeply human and sacred. In his message, he writes: ‘Faces and voices are sacred.’ He further explains that every human face and voice reveals the unique dignity and identity of the person created in the image of God .”

He encouraged parishioners to use the week as an opportunity for renewed commitment to evangelization through communication, adding that: “Through our parish activities, media engagements, workshops, publications, broadcasts, and digital platforms, we must make Christ known to our world.”

Don warns against eroding University standards in Teacher Education Reform

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

A Professor of Mathematics Education at the Taraba State University, John Tyavbee Ajai, has cautioned the Federal Government against reforms that could erode the integrity of university degrees in Nigeria by expanding the scope of degree-awarding roles to Colleges of Education.

In an open letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr Draruf Tunji Alausa on Sunday, Ajai said the debate around the proposed Continuous Five-Year NCE Degree structure highlights deeper questions about the future of Nigeria’s tertiary education system, Argued that policy changes must preserve institutional coherence and academic credibility.

He noted that Nigeria’s higher education system was historically built on clear differentiation, where Universities handled advanced scholarship and research, polytechnics focused on technical training, and colleges of Education concentrated on pedagogical preparation through the Nigeria Certificate in Education framework.

"Over time, however, those distinctions have steadily weakened," Ajai wrote. He pointed out that polytechnics now seek conversion into universities, while Colleges of Education run degree programs through affiliation arrangements with universities, blurring institutional mandates.

Ajai stressed that a university degree derives its legitimacy from more than classroom instruction,  andtressed that it reflects participation in a scholarly ecosystem marked by research culture, postgraduate engagement, peer review, and professorial leadership.

"What is less common in mature higher education systems is the long-term dependence on affiliation arrangements in which non-university institutions administer university degree programmes without full institutional integration.

"The deeper challenge confronting teacher education in Nigeria is the need to strengthen the attractiveness and professional standing of teaching itself," he said.

He warned that parallel pathways producing identical degrees under unequal academic cultures could weaken public trust.

Don added that accreditation processes often emphasise procedural compliance over deeper indicators of academic culture such as research vitality, scholarly engagement, and postgraduate activity. This, he said, creates a gap between certificate equivalence and academic equivalence.

He urged the government to strengthen Colleges of Education as centres of pedagogical excellence rather than expand degree pathways without corresponding investment in research capacity, staffing, and governance.

Ajai recommended a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s tertiary education philosophy to restore clearer roles for universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. 

He also called for stricter joint quality assurance frameworks between the NUC and NCCE for institutions running affiliation programs, urged the ministry to initiate a national stakeholder dialogue to develop a coherent long-term framework for tertiary education reform.

"Educational systems are not strengthened merely by expanding access to credentials. They are strengthened through institutional coherence, quality assurance, scholarly credibility, and public trust," he concluded.

Taraba IDPs stages protest, demands justice after 7 years in camps

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo

The displaced population of Tiv extraction in Wukari LGA of Taraba state, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest after 7 years in IDP camps.

The displaced Tiv community called on the federal and international communities to intervene and ensure justice in their situation to enable them to return to their ancestral homes.

The IDPs said, life has become unbearable, since the means of livelihood have been denied since 2019.

Addressing journalists after the protest in Kyado Benue state, Hon. Terhile Ahur, leader of the displaced persons taken refuge in the area, blamed the Taraba state, Wukari LGA and the Wukari traditional council for their uncooperative stands to ensure the return of the displaced Tiv population.

Ahur informed that while over one hundred and fifty thousand Tiv people in the Local Government have been displaced, and are taking refuge in Benue state, over 300 churches, 70 schools and 30 primary health care facilities belonging to Tiv have also been destroyed.

"It started like a mere clash between Jukun and Tiv in Kente village of Wukari in 2019. The situation escalated to what we are seeing as a deliberate genocide against the Tivs in the area.

The IDP leader lamented that all efforts made to resolve the crisis and enable displaced persons return to their ancestral homes were unsuccessful, due to the Seeming complicity of both Wukari and the Taraba State governments in the crisis.

Hon. Ahur also alleged that the Tiv people are tagged in the local government as "settlers", while their ancestral lands have been taken over and shared by the Jukuns and their allies.

"For the past seven (7) years, all efforts to return to our ancestral homes and farms in Wukari Local Government have proved abortive due to the seeming complicity of both the Local and State governments in the crisis.

"Our ancestral homes and farms have been taken over and shared by the Jukuns and their allies, with tacit support from both the Local and State Governments. Today, we have been tagged as "settlers" in the Wukari Local Government Area". He lamented.

The IDP leader emphasises that the political history of the area has proven beyond any contradiction that the Tivs were genuine indigens of Wukari LGA and Taraba at large.

"The history of our indigenship in Wukari and Taraba in general is clear". He insisted.

He disclosed that the history in most parts of the state was beyond the colonial period.

"In most parts of Taraba State, the history of Tiv existence is much beyond the colonial period. In the 1959 General Elections during the colonial era, Hon. Charles Tangul Gaza, a Tiv man, contested along with a Jukun man, Hon. Ibrahim Sangarı Usman, for the Wukari Seat in the Federal House of Representatives and won under the UMBC.

"Similarly, after independence, Hon. David Tagherga Mtuem and Hon.

Simon Ảwua contested and won as a member of the defunct Gongola State House of Assembly in 1979 and was re-elected in 1983. Hon. Iyoltyer Musa, a Tiv man, was appointed by the late Governor Abubakar Barde of the defunct

Gongola State, as Chairman of the Wukari local government in 1982. Similarly, Hon. Shinja Abako, a Tiv man, was also elected as Vice Chairman of Wukari Local Government Area in 1986. We demand an answer to the settler status". They clarify.

The IDPs also accused the Nigerian army of being complicit in the crisis.

"We want the entire world to know that the Nigerian army is complicit in our situation. In most of our villages in Wukari Local Government, Military Check Points have been strategically located, not for general peace but to deter our people from returning to their homes.

"We wish to inform the world that the killings against us in the local government are not just an eviction agenda, but a well-coordinated genocidal agenda against the Tiv and the Church. We call on the international Community, the Federal Government of Nigeria to act fast in order to stop the gross abuse of our Fundamental Human Rights.

"We wish to draw the attention of the International Community to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of genocide in 1948. We wish to state that our situation is more than genocide, and we want the authorities to act fast.

"We call on the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the activities of his men deployed to Wukari Local Government for peacekeeping". The IDPs asserted.

While appealing to President Bola Tinubu to facilitate their safe return to ancestral homes and farms, the IDPs call for the replacement of independent and unbiased security personnel to protect the Tiv on their return. They also call for the provision of relief materials to ease their hardship.

2027: Nyameh returns to PDP, declares bid to unseat Kefas

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo

A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State, Prof. Jerome Nyameh, has returned to the party months after his resignation and declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election.

Nyameh, who had earlier left the PDP citing unresolved internal crises, said his decision to return followed recent developments indicating that the issues had largely been resolved.

He made this known while addressing journalists in Jalingo on Saturday.

The professor noted that he had completed his PDP e-registration, urging residents of Taraba State to also register, assuring that the platform is secure.

He expressed confidence in his chances, vowing to unseat the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas and restore what he described as the state’s lost glory.

"By God’s grace, I will contest for the governorship of Taraba State under the platform of the PDP in 2027. I have completed my PDP e-registration membership," he said.

"Following the judgment delivered on the 9th of this month, it is clear that the issues within the party are almost resolved. The court advised parties to settle out of court, and that is a welcome development. That is why some of us who left have now returned."

On his chances at the polls, Nyameh said the adoption of direct primaries would favour candidates with grassroots support.

"I will definitely win because I am with the people. With direct primaries, popularity will count," he added.

He also called on Tarabans and residents of the state to take advantage of the PDP e-registration exercise, reiterating that the process is safe and credible.

Howai District Calls for Support as New Security Post Takes Off in Kpantinapo

 

By Thomas Samuel 

Residents of Howai District in Kona Chiefdom have been urged to support the newly established security outpost in the area.

The District Head of Howai, Michael Vakkai, made the appeal in an interview with our reporter in Jalingo.

He disclosed that the district recently commissioned a hunters’ security office in Kpantinapo, describing its location as strategic in supporting the military to contain potential security threats.

Vakkai noted that the hunters require both moral and financial support from residents to function effectively.

On investment and job creation, the district head commended Governor Agbu Kefas for introducing policies that facilitated the siting of a waste management and processing company in Kpantinapo.

He expressed optimism that once fully operational, the company would create jobs and contribute to the government’s efforts toward environmental sustainability.

Bandits Kill Three Police Officers, Vigilante Leader in Taraba Attack

 

Thomas Samuel 

The Taraba State Police Command has confirmed the killing of three police officers and a local vigilante leader following a deadly attack by suspected bandits on Tse Kwe Village in Donga Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Victor Mshelizah, the incident was reported by a resident, Zaki Orbanga, from Tordamisa Akate Ward, who alerted authorities to the invasion of the community by armed assailants.

The statement said a joint team of police officers, led by the Divisional Police Officer of Donga alongside operatives of a special force unit, was swiftly mobilized to the scene to restore order and protect residents.

However, the encounter claimed the lives of three officers identified as Corporal Raphael Danjuma, Police Constable Ebenezer Daniel, and Police Constable Samuel Bawa. Bawa was initially declared missing during the operation before his body was later discovered in a nearby bush after a search effort.

The attack also left a sixty-year-old community vigilante leader, Nutsa Tyav, dead. He was the Chairman of the Vigilante Group in Tordamisa Village.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Betty Enepen Isokpan  expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the officers and the vigilante member, describing them as heroes who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

The Command extended condolences to the bereaved families and assured that the sacrifices of the deceased would not be in vain.

Meanwhile, the police said security has been reinforced in the affected area, with intensified operations underway to track down and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

The Command also called on residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information to aid ongoing investigations.