By Muhammad B. Muhammad

Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has announced that from next year 2024, he will sponsor Emir of Mubi cup in the annual Yola Polo tournament.

The Governor made this known in his remarks at the closing ceremony of this year’s Nigeria Polo Federation National Tournament held at the Yola Polo ground.

Fintiri maintained that the goodies that come with the sporting event and in honour of the Emir of Mubi HRH, Alhaji Abubakar Isa Ahmadu, who has been following the event from the beginning through to the closing ceremony captured his attention and has resolved to honour the royal father by hosting the Emir’s cup in the tournament starting from next year 2024.

He revealed that the winner of the Emir’s cup will not only take home the winning cup but with additional sum of N3,000,000 million.

He added that the winners of the Governor’s cup in this year’s tournament and going forward will take home the sum of N5,000,000.

He appreciated the grand patron and life Chairman of Yola Polo Club who doubles as Lamido Adamawa HRH. Alhaji Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, for his unwavering support and fatherly role in sustaining the tournament yearly.

The Governor reiterated the commitment to continue partnering, supporting and also create enabling environment that will make Adamawa attractive for hosting such tournament.

Fintiri said that owing to the importance attached to the sporting event, it has graciously turned the state capital as the hub of the Northeast saying that in past one week since the tournament was kick-off, the state capital has witnessed tourism, economic and social activities.

“We will continue in that trajectory in making sure that we create the kind of peace that is required to host this kind of tournament”.

Fintiri acknowledged all participants of the prestigious event as ambassadors of the state, urging them to go back and tell the world that the narrative that has been told about Adamawa is not true.

Prizes and cash were presented to the winners of the tournament.

By Sani Yarima, Jalingo 

A few days after the visit of Governor Agbu Kefas to the security formations in the state to boost their morale in the fight against insecurity, the Taraba State Police Command and arrested and paraded twenty suspected kidnappers.

The suspects were paraded before the Journalists at the premises of the Command’s Headquarters in Jalingo on Friday.

The Spokesperson of the Command, SP Usman Abdullahi who addressed the newsmen said the Command has not relent in its efforts to sustain serious manhunt on bandits and other perpetrators of crimes within the state.

This, he said was in line with the directives of the Inspector General of Police IGP, Kayode Egbetokun.

Abdullahi explained that the Command has launched a serious manhunt on the criminals hibernating in some identified hot spots within the State, following public Out-Cry on the nefarious activities of criminal elements operating within the State, particularly the Jalingo metropolis. 

He revealed that constant raids on the hideout of these hoodlums were organized by the Special Anti-kidnapping Unit and the Striking Force attached to the Government House with the view to have a crime-free society.

The PPRO maintained that the gallant determinations of the aforementioned units have yielded a positive result in recent times by arresting 20 suspected kidnappers terrorizing the state capital and beyond, by acting on credible information.

Those who were arrested include one Sanusi Ibrahim, John Baba, and Hassan Yusuf all of Sabon-Gida Akwawe village Kurmi LGA of the state who were among the Kidnapping gang that was terrorizing the village. 

“During interrogation, suspects confessed to having committed the Crime along with Hassan Yusuf now at large. The effort is on, with the view to arresting the fleeing suspect,” says PPRO.

According to him, the victims were rescued by the Special Anti-Kidnapping team and reunited with their families. 

Also arrested were 1, Buhari Ishaku, and Sule Muhammed all of Mararraba, Donga LGA, and during the investigation, one AK 47 rifle with Two (2) live ammunition was recovered from the suspects. 

“The suspects confessed that they belonged to a gang of armed robbers/kidnappers terrorizing Donga, Bali, and Takum axes,” he said.

However, SP Usman Abdullahi informed that the suspects are providing useful information that may assist the Police in arresting the members of the gang that are now at large. 

Therefore, he disclosed that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Yusuf Suleiman has ordered the Special Anti-Kidnapping unit to intensify efforts and make sure that the fleeing suspects are arrested.

The leadership of the Concerned Citizens of Taraba, in Taraba state, has expressed concern over the alleged refusal of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, to embark on the process of electing a new Chairman for the union.

The group who could not fathom why the union has continued to drag its feet on the delegate conference, made their position known on Thursday in a statement issued to newsmen in Jalingo.

Signed by its Coordinator, Abdullahi Ishaya Dominic said the delay in bringing on board new leadership had begun to negatively affect the union.

Wondering why the exercise which ought to take place on September 8th has constantly been postponed, the group alleged that plans to hijack the process by some overzealous government functionaries.

The group also alleged that some top government functionaries have perfected plans to hijack the process by imposing unpopular leadership on the union,

They stressed the need for Governor Agbu Kefas to wade in by calling such persons to order to avert crisis and vowed to resist any attempt to impose a leadership on the union.

The group further reiterated readiness to ensure the emergence of credible leaders that will salvage the union and urged the governor to as a matter of urgency accord the union the desired support to hold its delegate conference to elect a new Exco that will oversee the affairs of the union in the state.

“The state government under the leadership of Dr. Agbu Kefas, allows all unions the opportunity to do their things in their ways. So we are calling on him to help us in ensuring that no individual under whatever guise hijacks the process or attempts to subvert the will of the union’s members,” the statement added.

Aligning their weights to that of the concerned group, some of the union members who bared their minds to our reporter, vowed to tread extra legitimate miles to frustrate those planning to hijack the process.

They, however, urged those assigned with the rqzesponsibility of conducting fresh elections, to as a matter of urgency commence the process.

The said delegate conference which ought to have been held early this month, was necessitated following the appointment of its former State Chairman, Noseh Luka, as a Commissioner by Governor Agbu Kefas.