Taraba Reporters

JALINGO II STATE CONSTITUENCY 2027

Four candidates. One seat.

If elections were held today, which of these candidates would get your vote?

APC, ADC, APGA PDP?

The people of Jalingo II, which one of these three faces has your vote in 2027?

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South Africa Goalkeeper and Captain Rownen Williams cited that he's really disappointed that the Africans didn't support them in their yesterday's match against Mexico:

"Africans have always supported other African countries in every world Cup tournament but I can't figure out why our own case is different . Many africans supported Mexico not us the South Africans. We almost shed tears but truly this is sad . As Africans let's stand for each other, let's stand together "

DSS and army operatives foiled alleged ESN plot to abduct WAEC students in South-East and recovered arms in raids. http://ow.ly/8cgJ106zA0y

Today, we celebrate our unity, freedom, and the power of the people. Together, we can build a stronger and better future for our dear nation.

-- Barr Bape Nguroje, former Minority leader Taraba state house of assembly.

DEMOCRACY DAY SPEECH: Our generation must secure prosperity

By Bola Tinubu

Today, we celebrate democracy and the enduring Nigerian spirit. For 27 unbroken years, since May 29, 1999, Nigerians have chosen their leaders through the ballot, witnessed peaceful transitions of power, and resolved disagreements in courtrooms and legislative chambers—not through violence. We have experienced the longest stretch of civilian rule in our history. Our democracy is not perfect, but it is ours, and we must continue to defend and strengthen it.

In the coming days, Ekiti and Osun States will hold elections. I urge INEC, security agencies, and all parties to ensure these polls are peaceful and credible. Democracy fails when citizens doubt the process. To our National Assembly, Judiciary, the Press, and Civil Society: you are the guardrails of our republic. Criticise me, disagree with me, but never stop believing in Nigeria.

To our young people: Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, code here, work here, and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship.

To our armed forces, police, and intelligence services: Nigeria salutes your sacrifice. To our traditional rulers, faith leaders, and community heads: thank you for your support of peace and reconciliation. The government cannot do it alone.

Today, we honour the resilience of Nigerians who refused to surrender their faith in freedom, and the courage of those who stood firm against intimidation. We pay tribute to patriots who endured persecution, imprisonment, exile, and even death so that future generations could enjoy democracy. I salute labour leaders, journalists, activists, students, women, professionals, political leaders, and soldiers—both those who have passed and those still with us—for their patriotic contributions.

Though this year’s mood is dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno, we remain hopeful for their safe return. Democracy without security is not solid enough. That is why this administration declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers and thousands of military recruits. Our 2026 budget commits N5.41 trillion—our largest ever—to defence and security. Our administration is ever ready to do much more to secure our people.

We have moved from training with our allies, the United States, France and other European countries, to precision targeting. In Arege, Borno State, we degraded ISWAP’s command centre. Terror-related deaths are down by 81% since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year. But we also keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.

To bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror: Surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. No mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.

At a time like this, let us not assign blame or point fingers. Crime has no ethnicity. We must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.

June 12 occupies a sacred place in our national memory. It represents more than an election; it is a defining chapter in our story. We remember Chief M.K.O. Abiola, who won a pan-Nigerian mandate transcending ethnicity and religion. We remember Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

We also remember Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Alfred Rewane, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Frank Kokori, Arthur Nwankwo, Chima Ubani, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and the many other heroes and heroines of democracy whose sacrifices helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today.

As beneficiaries of their struggle, we have a duty to strengthen and deepen the democratic institutions for which they fought. The greatest tribute we can pay is to build a Nigeria where freedom is protected, justice is upheld, opportunity is expanded, and government is accountable.

June 12, 1993, revealed the possibility of a true Nigerian nation. The heroes of June 12 secured political freedom. Our challenge is to secure economic freedom. Democracy must be felt in the quality of people’s lives—in opportunities for youth, in prosperous farmers, successful entrepreneurs, and the dignity of our workers.

The reforms we are undertaking were not chosen for ease, but for necessity. Three years ago, our public finances were under severe strain, investment was discouraged, and economic uncertainty threatened our future. We chose to act, embracing reforms to advance Nigeria’s economic freedom.

Since 2023, our reforms have restored stability and credibility to economic management. Federation revenues have risen, providing states and local governments with more resources for infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security. Fiscal transparency has improved, leakage has been reduced, and public funds are better directed to national priorities. Investor confidence has returned, with investments in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, technology, mining, transportation, and the creative industries growing.

Domestic refining capacity has increased, strengthening energy security and reducing our reliance on imported petroleum products.

By 2023, when we came on board, the electricity sector was characterised by chronic generation shortfalls, an unreliable gas supply, and transmission infrastructure so fragile that it could not evacuate available power. Distribution companies were burdened by massive losses and a metering deficit of over four million. Worst of all, the value chain was drowning in legacy debt. The result was a sector that generated less than the 13,500 Megawatts installed capacity, a sector that transmitted less than it generated, distributed less than it transmitted and collected revenue far below what it needed to sustain itself.

To address the problems besetting the sector, I signed the Electricity Act, which grants states authority to generate, transmit, and distribute power. The Presidential Power Sector Task Force is working hard to reduce the metering deficit. It has also been authorised to raise N4 trillion bond to settle verified legacy debts. The Rural Electrification Agency, supported by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, has deployed off-grid and mini-grid power to underserved communities, universities, markets, and hospitals. Electricity is a democratic dividend we owe every Nigerian. We intend to deliver it.

Across the country, infrastructure projects are connecting producers to markets and creating opportunities for enterprise and employment. The National Agricultural Development Fund is deploying 10,000 tractors over five years. Over 1,000 SMEs have been certified for export. Non-oil exports grew by 21% last year.

Yet, many Nigerians still face economic hardship. We remain focused on reducing inflation, expanding food production, creating jobs, improving living standards, rebuilding confidence in our economy, and creating conditions for sustainable prosperity.

We are moving from uncertainty to stability. The next phase is about accelerating growth and ensuring the benefits are felt in every home, every community, and every region. We believe that Democracy must be felt in the pocket.

Recognising that democracy is undermined when people do not feel its impact, my administration has sought financial autonomy for our 774 local councils. A fundamental challenge to our nation’s advancement has been ineffective local government administration. The insecurity we are addressing is partly due to the collapse of grassroots governance. The Renewed Hope Agenda is about ensuring that all Nigerians benefit from governance.

Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity.

Let us move forward together—rejecting division, cynicism, and despair; embracing unity, hope, and confidence. Let us build a Nigeria united by a common purpose, strengthened by diversity, where justice is accessible, liberty is secure, and opportunity is abundant.

Among the architects of modern democratic Nigeria, we honour General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua for his vision of national partnership. In recognition of his contributions, the Federal Government has approved the revitalisation and renaming of the completed Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.

I am also pleased to announce national awards to the following Nigerians, who suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.

Barrister Ayoka Lawani
Tunde Fagbenle
Oladele Alake
Olatunji Bello
Louis Odion
Segun Babatope
Sam Omatseye
Sir Ademola Osinubi
Bola Bolawole
Lade Bonuola
Femi Kusa
Debo Adeniran
Chief Ayo Opadokun
Chief Ralph Obiora
Ose Osayande
Barrister Osa Director
Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine
Dr Arthur Nwankwo (Posthumous)
Dr Osagie Obayuwana
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin
Barrister Titus Mann
Joe Igbokwe
Richard Akinnola
Ben Charles-Obi (Posthumous)
George Mbah
Dr Niran Malaolu
Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd)
Femi Aborisade
Jenkins Alumona
Gbemiga Ogunleye
Muyiwa Adekeye
Babajide Kolade-Otitoju
Ike Okonta

We also recognise the soldier-democrats of the June 12 struggle:
Major General MA Garba
Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa
Col Umar Farouk Ahmed;
Col Sambo Dasuki;
Col Lawan Gwadabe;
Brigadier Jonathan Ndam Temlong
Col Musa Shehu;
Major General Chris Eze;
Major General Harris Dzarma;
Col Isa Jibrin;
Maj. General Joseph Oshanupin;
Col Olusegun Oloruntoba, Olugbede of Gbede Kingdom)
Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus
Col J Okai;
Col Emmanuel Ndubueze;
Lt Col Yakubu Muazu
Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Current Etsu Nupe, who is already the holder of the CFR title.

The honours list will be released in the next few days.

Fellow Nigerians, 27 years ago, many doubted democracy would survive here because of our diversity. Today, our diversity sustains our democracy. The road ahead is steep. But June 12 reminds us: Nigerians do not break. We bend, we bleed, but we do not break.

Let us renew our covenant: That the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this land.

May God bless the heroes of our democracy. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God continue to bless us all.

Happy Democracy Day.

Democracy Day
What message do you have for our democratically elected governors? Happy democracy Day Taraba.

I can see Jukun attire, Fulani attire, and Mumuye attire. Which other attires are represented in this artwork on the Jalingo flyover? Also, which other tribes’ traditional attire do you think should have been included and painted on the flyover?

After three years in office as Governor of Taraba State, what would you say is Governor Agbu Kefas' most significant project or achievement in your Local Government Area?

The painting of the Roadblock Flyover in Jalingo with the colours of the traditional attires of the major ethnic groups in Taraba State is a beautiful representation of the state's rich cultural diversity. What other aspects of Taraba do you think the flyover's design should represent?

OPERATION HADIN KAI RESCUES 360 ABDUCTEES FROM TERRORIST STRONGHOLD IN BORNO

Maiduguri, Borno State — Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully rescued 360 abductees from a heavily fortified Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave hidden deep within the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State.
The military described the mission as one of the most significant hostage rescue operations conducted in the North-East theatre in recent times, highlighting the effectiveness of intelligence-led military operations against insurgent groups.

According to military authorities, the operation was carried out by Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 following weeks of intensive intelligence gathering, surveillance, covert reconnaissance, and operational planning. The rescued victims, comprising men, women, and children, had been abducted from several communities, particularly within the Ngoshe axis, and held under difficult conditions.

Military sources revealed that the breakthrough came after intelligence operatives successfully identified the exact location of the hostages and uncovered the insurgents' support network. Information gathered through Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions enabled commanders to map the area and develop a comprehensive rescue strategy.

The operation reached a critical stage when intelligence assets reportedly penetrated the terrorist network, providing actionable information on the location of the captives, insurgent positions, security arrangements, and planned movement routes.
Acting on the intelligence, OPHK forces launched a coordinated multi-directional assault under the cover of darkness. Supported by real-time surveillance feeds, troops successfully isolated the objective area, blocked escape routes, and achieved complete tactical surprise.

Military authorities stated that several insurgents fled into the surrounding mountainous terrain while others surrendered as troops advanced on the enclave.
The rescued hostages were immediately secured, medically screened, and evacuated from the area. However, the military disclosed that two infants tragically died from exhaustion resulting from the harsh terrain and the conditions they endured during captivity.
The remaining 358 rescued individuals have since been relocated to safe locations where they are receiving medical attention and humanitarian assistance.

The Military High Command commended the courage, professionalism, and discipline displayed by troops involved in the operation, describing the mission as a major setback for terrorist elements operating within the region.
"The successful rescue of 360 abductees reflects the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations, improved synergy among security stakeholders, and the unwavering commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to protect citizens and restore peace to affected communities," the statement noted.

The military further assured the public that follow-up clearance operations are ongoing to neutralise fleeing insurgents, dismantle terrorist support networks, and prevent future abductions across the North-East.
Source: Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI.