Eleojo Samuel
The people of Gassol community in Taraba State are demanding an immediate investigation into the alleged harassment, arrest, and intimidation of local residents by the police, reportedly at the behest of the Chief of Gassol, Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma, and his influential family members.
The accusations stem from a series of events surrounding a land dispute in the area.

On November 2, 2024, police officers from Zone 3 in Yola, Adamawa State, arrested Babangida Sani, a resident of Gassol, on charges related to his involvement in a protest against the unlawful seizure of agricultural lands by Senator Sanusi Daggash. The protest, which took place in September, had seen several farmers from the district demand the return of their lands, which they claim were unlawfully taken.

The arrest of Babangida Sani has caused uproar within the community, with locals accusing the Chief of Gassol and his family of using their political power and connections to suppress opposition. Alhaji Yusuf Abubakar, a spokesperson for the community, described the actions as an abuse of power, accusing the traditional ruler of using the police to silence dissenters.

“We are witnessing a situation where the police are being used as tools to intimidate and terrorize innocent people,” Abubakar said. “It is clear that this is a politically motivated action aimed at crushing opposition to the Chief of Gassol’s leadership and his land-grabbing policies.”

The police reportedly acted on a petition written by Adamu Abdullahi, an associate of Hon. Ja’faru Yakubu Chiroma, a member of the Federal House of Representatives and younger brother to the Chief of Gassol. According to Abubakar, Abdullahi, a resident of Yola, influenced the police in Adamawa State to arrest Sani and others involved in the protest, despite the fact that the Taraba State Police Command should have handled the matter locally.

Abubakar has called on the Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, and other relevant authorities to intervene and ensure the immediate release of Babangida Sani and stop further harassment of Gassol residents. He also expressed concern over reports that the police in Yola have demanded that Sani and the other detained protestors apologize to the Chief of Gassol before being released.

“It’s absurd that the police in Yola have told our people that Babangida Sani and the others must apologize to the Chief of Gassol before they can be freed,” Abubakar said. “This is a clear violation of their rights.”

In a brief statement, Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma confirmed that he was aware of the arrest, adding that those involved in the protest had insulted his character and would have to “suffer the consequences.” He also stated that he had instructed his lawyers to take the matter to court, but made it clear that he would not back down from pursuing legal action against the protestors.

Sources within the police have confirmed that influential individuals from Taraba State have played a role in pressuring the police in Yola to carry out the arrests. These revelations have sparked further concerns about the extent of political influence over law enforcement.

The people of Gassol have vowed to resist further attempts at intimidation, calling for an independent investigation into the conduct of the police and the alleged abuse of power by the Chief of Gassol and his family. They are also demanding the immediate release of those detained and the protection of their rights as citizens of Taraba State.

As tensions rise, the matter has drawn the attention of human rights organizations and political analysts, who are watching closely for a response from national authorities.

Eleojo Samuel Jalingo

Financial experts in Taraba State, are seeking governor Agbu Kefas intervention to revive the liquidated Taraba State Microfinance Bank.

Investigation by our reporter shows that the circumstances that led to the closure of the bank was faulty and politically motivated as the last administration failed to adhere to the report submitted by a committee set up to investigate the activities of the financial institution and also a court order stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from liquidating the bank.

National update gathered that in May 2023 the CBN liquidated the Microfinance Bank and directed the Nigeria Deposit Insurance company (NNDIC) to sell off the assets of the bank.

But in swift reaction the Board of the bank approached the Federal High court Jalingo and also wrote the CBN in a letter dated 10th June 2023 challenging its decision.

These two efforts yielded positive results as the Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo gave CBN an interim injunction stopping the liquidation exercise pending the suit before it.

Also, the letter written by the board to the Central Bank of Nigeria was honoured as the Apex bank, in a letter dated 11th July 2023 directed the bank to recapitalised to the minimum capital requirement of N1billion to enable it operate a statewide microfinance bank

Also because the last financial statement submitted by the bank before the liquidation showed a net loss of Six Hundred and Ninety Million Two Hundred and Ninety thousand Naira (N690,290,000).

The apex bank requested the micro bank to recapitalizated One Billion, Six Hundred and Ninety Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Thousand.(N 1,690,290,000) to cover the minimum recapitalization requirement and the loss in the books of the bank.

Our investigation further reveals that the bank was given an initial window of Ten working days and weeks with another additional window of two weeks, however the first and second window elapsed without the state government taking advantage of it.

Financial experts in the state have continued to express concerns over the development, saying the lack of state owned Microfinance bank is causing the state to lose Billions of Naira.

Speaking to our correspondent the former Managing Director of the defunct bank, Nasiru Baba, said apart from denying rural communities in the state of assessing financial services the state is losing a lot of financial grants.

He said within this period, the CBN under the administration of President Bola Tinuba has given out billions of naira to support Micro funding through various Micro Finance Bank across the country, particularly to alleviate the suffering in the country, but Taraba State has not been benefiting from any of such intervention due to lack of state own Micro Finance Bank.

Mr. Baba then appealed to Governor Kefas, to intervene in saving the bank as CBN is willing to restore the license of the bank if the basic requirements are met.

Olayinka Gabriel, a Chartered Accountants and CEO Taraba Business School, said if the government is serious about resolving the crisis within the bank it can be resolved within 7 days.

“I have studied different reports concerning the bank and I have come to the conclusion that it is the political will of the Kefas led administration that can resolve the crisis of the bank.” He said

He said the state government needs to sit down with the dissolved board members and resolve all legal tussles.

According to him the bank currently has 18 different cases, two at the Supreme court, 6 at both Jalingo and Abuja federal High Court, and others at upper area court and Magistrate courts.

He said the withdrawal of these cases by both Taraba Investment and Properties Company and the board members of the bank will clear the way for the bank to recapitalise and explore its strategy.

Another Expert Maurice Agor who is the chairman of Taraba State chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), also said under the current situation the bank only needs a political solution to be revived.

“All the parties involved in the various legal tussles must be prepared to make sacrifices for the interest of the bank and its growth.

He said the CBN will not recognize any decision outside the one taken by the board, the board need to be reinstate, the government can ask the board members to resign with a promise of giving them another position into either board or parastatal or other political appointment, this way, a new board can be constituted with forward thinking individual that can move the bank forward.

He said anything outside a political solution will not solve the current problem of the bank.

Eleojo Samuel Jalingo

The Kuteb Muslim Development Association (KMDA) said that the proposed demolition of Takum Central Mosque by the Taraba State Government is an affront on the traditional worship history of the Kuteb Muslims worldwide.

State Chairman of the Community, Alhaji Bako Mairiga made this known while briefing the media in Jalingo on Sunday.

He recalled that the history of the Takum Central Mosque dated back to 1912 when Ukwe Ahmadu Gankwe, who already was Ukwe, was anointed, appointed and installed as the Paramount Ruler of Takum in 1914.

“Being a Muslim, the Kuteb people saw the need to build the Takum Central Mosque next to the Palace of Ukwe Takum to enable him and other Muslims in Takum worship there.

“Ukwe Ahmadu Gankwe being a devoted Muslim, his Kuteb brothers all over the 12 surrounding Clans who were already participating in the construction of the Palace fence, assisted in building the Central Mosque, the Worship place of their paramount leader.

“Since then, the Mosque has gone through series of renovations by successive Ukwe Takum culminating in the major one and re-structuring by late Ukwe Aliyu Ibrahim II of blessed memory.

” He actually upgraded the standard of the Mosque which was commissioned by SHEIK DAHIRU USMAN BAUCHI in the 80s. The said Sheikh is still alive and can attest to this,” he said.

Mairiga also debunked the claimed by Chamba Muslim Youth that the Kuteb in Takum once demolished a mosque in Takum and killed worshippers.

“As for the malicious and wicked lies being peddled by the Chamba Muslim Youth that Kuteb people once demolished a Mosque in Takum and killed Worshippers, we call on the entire Muslims and the general public to disregard this.

“We wish to place on record that there are several Mosques scattered all over the Kuteb land e.g. Lissam, Rufu, Kwesati and other Kuteb Villages.

“This is despite the fact that the Kuteb Nation has and is still suffering from banditry attacks, none of these Mosques has been tampered with or demolished.

“As a matter of fact, all these Mosques in Kuteb Villages are still standing, functioning and Muslim faithfuls do worship in them peacefully.

“These lies are being propagated to mislead the Muslim Ummah and the general public is wholly hereby debunked. It is therefore naive for any person or group of persons to think that Kuteb people once destroyed a Mosque in Takum and killed Worshippers,” he said.

Mairiga called on the Muslim world wide to intervene and stop the Taraba government from demolishing the Takum Central Mosque.

He noted the insincerity on the part of the state government as it officials had given inconsistent defence to convince the general public as to why they have proposed to carry out the demolition of the mosque.

“It is worthy to note that there is a great contradiction on the proposed Demolition of the Central Mosque and Ukwe Palace as depicted by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba State on Islamic Affairs and the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation. Whereas the S. A. states:

“I want to clarify that any demolition occurs is aimed at promoting the development and welfare of our Muslim brothers and Sisters in Takum and beyond, this initiative has been welcomed by our Community”.

The Hon. Commissioner for Information on the other hand states:

“Government has no plan to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Palace”.

“This variance has placed the Muslim Ummah at a cross road as the Takum Central Mosque is currently undergoing renovation by the Takum Central Mosque Committee.

“The Committee cannot be renovating the Mosque and at the same time be said to have agreed that the same Mosque be demolished or relocated.

“We are further calling on the Muslim world to note that a tribal Muslim cannot be said to have the mandate of Muslim Ummah (Community) where people have interest to serve abound in such a Muslim Community.

“The Holy Quran call such people Munafiqun. Muslim Community should speak for the Muslim Community in Takum.

“We want the entire Muslim Ummah and the World to know that Kuteb Muslims Development Association is a registered Wing of Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), an umbrella body of Kuteb World-Wide, whether in America, United Kingdom, Asian Countries, Arab Counties, Muslim, Christian, Atheists or Traditional Worshippers.

” The KYN is the mouthpiece of all Kuteb Sons and Daughters the World over to stand for, protect and defend the interests of her members. It is a gross misconception and mischievous for any person or group of persons to think that the influence of KYN is restricted to any region of the world,” he said.