Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the recent former governor of Kaduna State, has said that former President Muhammadu Buhari increased terrorism in Nigeria.

El-Rufai said that the Buhari administration ignored his recommendations on how to combat terrorism and banditry in 2017.

The governor said this during the inauguration of Kaduna State new governor, Senator Uba Sani’s.

El-Rufai lamented that the Buhari government took up arms against banditry and terrorism when it was too late.

He said: “In 2017, I requested the Federal Government to designate the emerging banditry as an insurgency and to unleash on bandits the full weight of the military. Sadly, this was not done until 2022, acting upon the declaration of the Federal High Court.

“It is a matter of regret that the Federal Government did not appreciate the gravity of the problem until banditry had wreaked so much havoc on lives, liberty, and livelihoods of so many people.

“Although coordinated military action began later in 2022, the job remains incomplete.”

In the last two years, the North has witnessed severe banditry attacks that have claimed the lives of many Northerners.

Several states in the North suffered from terrorist attacks, but the military has been up and doing in tackling the situation.

The Executive Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas has approved the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council, Chairmen and Members of Boards and Parastatals as well as Special Advisers in the state.

In Statement obtained by Maidawaarewa, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Yusuf Sanda says,  following the dissolution, all former Commissioners and Special Advisers are to hand over utility vehicles and any other Government property in their disposal to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, Jalingo.

They are also advised to hand over to the most senior officer in their respective establishments and to ensure compliance with the directive.

Meanwhile, the new Secretary to the Taraba State Government SSG, Barrister Gibon Timothy Katabs has been sworn-in.

The swearing in was performed by the State Acting Chief Judge Justice Joel Filibus Agya.

Speaking at the occasion, the State Governor Dr. Kefas Agbu urged the new SSG to use his wealth of experience in discharging his duties to move Taraba State forward.

Responding, the new SSG Barrister Gibon Timothy Katabs pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Governor and thanked the Governor for finding him worthy for this exalted position.

During the occasion Governor Kefas Agbu directed that May Salaries of Civil Servants and Pension in the State be paid before two O’clock in the
afternoon on Monday May 5th, 2023.

It could be recalled that, salaries of workers and pensions in Taraba State for the previous months were paid on either the middle or the end of the proceeding months during the immediate past Administration of former Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku.

The Executive Governor of Taraba state Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas Retired has dissolved all Caretaker Committee Chairmen of the 16 Local Government Councils in the state.

In a statement obtain by Maidawaarewa, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Yusuf Sanda  says the dissolution is with effect from May 29th, 2023.

The Governor directed the former CTC Chairmen to hand over all government property in their possession to the Head of Local Government Administration HOLGA of their respective Councils with immediate effect.

Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor of Kano State, has established a special joint team to combat phone theft and other street crimes in the state’s metropolitan and semi-urban regions.

The Governor, who spoke in Kiru Reformatory Centre, Tuesday, disclosed that “this taskforce comprises of teams from law enforcement agencies and mobile courts that would work together to clear our streets of these criminals and bring all of them to justice swiftly.”

He explained that “My first port of call after the inauguration, yesterday, was the Kiru Reformatory School, which will be fully reopened soonest for the purpose of rehabilitating drug addicts.

“Due to the persistent cases of armed robbery (especially phone snatching), and other violent crimes being perpetrated on the streets of our State, we have formed a Special Joint Taskforce to fight phone snatching and other street crimes. This taskforce comprises of teams from law enforcement agencies and mobile courts that would work together to clear our streets of these criminals and bring all of them to justice swiftly.”

In a statement by ASN II Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, Ag. PRO, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Kano Command, which was made available to newsmen, revealed that the governor and the commander engaged in fruitful discussions on how to effectively curtail the menace.

Maigatari stated that NDLEA Kano State Command is grateful for the governor’s support in his fight against drug abuse.

The Taraba State ninth House of Assembly has passed Forty Executive bills and Executive Orders which are implemented and facilitated Governance and brought dividends of democracy to the people.

The Speaker John Kisito Bonzena who disclosed this at a Valedictory session bringing the end of the Ninth Assembly following an Executive Order from the State Governor Dr. Dantala Kefas Agbu said during the period the House processed over 40 Bills and Executive Orders for passage and assent by His Excellency the Executive Governor Darius Dickson lshaku.

The Speaker said the salient ones include-
The Taraba State Appropriation Law No.01 of 2019,
Taraba State Kidnapping and Abduction Prohibition (Amendment)
Law No 2 of 2019,
The Taraba State Political and Public Office Holders (Remuneration
and Other Benefits) (Amendment Law, No. 5 of 2019,
Taraba State Contributory Health Insurance Agency Law, No. 6 of 2019,
Taraba State Agency for Water Sanitation Services Law, No. 7 of 2019,
The Taraba State Supplementary Appropriation Law No. 8 of 2019
The Taraba State Appropriation Law, No. 1 of 2020
Taraba State Internal Revenue Service Law, No.3 of 2020,
Taraba State Road Tratfic and Motor Vehicle Management Agency (Establisthment, ete) Law, No, 4 of 2020 among others.

John Kisito Bonzena appreciated all the members for their support during his short tenure and prayed God Almighty to reward them bountifully and also appreciated God for preserving all of them to be alive and witnessed this Valedictory Session just as the day they were inaugurated in 2019.

He said however “I am saddened by the fact that, only a handful of us will be returning as we anxiously await the inauguration of the 10th Assembly in Taraba State for my colleagues who will not be returning to this House, I wish all of you best of luck in your future endeavors and for the few of us that are going to be part of the incoming 10th Assembly, may I call on all of you to continue to exhibit that spirit of patriotism and dedicated service which we are known for, for the progress and wellbeing of our beloved State, may the spirit of patriotism, dedicated service, harmonious and cordial working relationship amongst us, Honorable Members always thrive for the benefit of Taraba State”

“Let me at this juncture conclude this speech by giving my advice which is derived from my experience as a Legislator for over a decade the Legislature is the most grassroots arm of government It is also the most visible symbol of democracy as well as the most powerful among all the arms of government.

The Legislature must unite and speak with one voice for it to be respected, It must be devoid of traitors and them “goodboy” syndrome It must be democratic in pursuit of its goals the Legislative- Executive relations must be deliberately made symbiotic and of mutual respect We should note that both the Executive and the Legislative Arms aimed at improving the standard of living of the electorate for whom they are in government to serve there is therefore no reason for antagonism the Legislature and the Executive have no reason to quarrel they are partners in progress”.

The Speaker commended the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Lt. Col. Dr. Dantala Agbu Kefas Rtd. for being very considerate in exercising his constitutional powers of issuing proclamation for the dissolution of the ninth Assembly

“Your Excellency the Taraba State House of Assembly will be in the fore front of supporting you in deliverance of democratic dividends and all the changes your Administration will bring about in Taraba State I also appreciate my colleagues both within and outside the leadership for your patience, understanding and resilience to the Clerk and the rest of our support service providers, you have indeed demonstrated that you are the institutional memory of the Legislature you should continue to prepare for the task ahead as we have moved into a new Administration in the State to the security men, the press, Civil Society groups and other Non-governmental organizations, I say a big thank you for your various contributions in the services to our dear Taraba State. I humbly request that we all forgive each other in any area we were found wanting as we close this Assembly lets all remind ourselves that “out of sight is not out of mind”.

It should be noted that out of the twenty four members in the Taraba State House of Assembly only four were re-elected they are the outgoing Speaker John Kisito Bonzena of Zing Constituency, the outgoing deputy Speaker Hamman Adama Ibn Abdullahi of Bali 2, Tafarki Agbadu Eneme of Kurmi and former Speaker Peter Abel Diah of Bamga Constituency the remaining twenty members were sent packing by the electorates which should be a big lesson to the incoming new members.

As part of manpower development policy targeted at promoting deserving police officers on the basis of competence, qualification, and length of service, the Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has promoted a total of Thirty-One Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty-Five (31,465) policemen comprising 24,991 from Sergeants to Inspectors, 194 from Corporal to Sergeant, and 6,280 from Constable to Corporal.

In a statement made available to Maidawaarewa, the IGP has however charged the affected officers to add more pep in promoting the lofty principles and values of modern policing and discharge their duties as expected of them in line with the provisions of the extant laws.

Similarly, the IGP congratulates two Assistant Inspectors-General of Police on the conferment of national honours on them. The very senior police officers include AIG Aishatu Abubakar, mni who was conferred with the award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), and AIG Olofu Tony Adejoh, who was conferred with the individual award of National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM) by the National Productivity Centre, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on the approval of the immediate past President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

The Inspector-General of Police charges the Senior Officers to bring their experience gathered over time and the well-deserved national recognition to bear in their national policing duties.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed to review the naira redesign policy implemented by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu made the announcement in his inaugural address at Eagle Square in Abuja on Monday.

Addressing a diverse audience comprising government officials, dignitaries and citizens, President Tinubu acknowledged the importance of a stable and efficient currency system for economic growth and stability, while describing the naira redesign as a harsh and hasty policy.

He said: “Monetary policy needs thorough house cleansing. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate. This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.

“Interest rates need to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy at a higher level. Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN given the number of unbanked Nigerians.

“The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.”