Teenager Attack:Taraba CJ Orders Transfer Of Case To Jalingo
From Martins Abochol
The Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Filibus Agya, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case involving the Commissioner of Police VS Mrs Ramatu Abass to the Jalingo Chief Magistrate.
Justice Joel Filibus Agya
Justice Agya, who spoke to newsmen in Jalingo through Mrs Victoria Barnabas, Acting Deputy Chief Registrar of the state High Court, said the directive was in an effort to guarantee justice for Miss Iwasen Terhemba, the minor who was assaulted by Mrs Abass in Donga town.
“On the 24th day of January 2026, my attention was drawn by the Hon. Chief Judge of the state to a case of assault on a minor by Mrs Ramatu Abass.
“That the Wife of the Executive Governor of Taraba State and Commissioner of Women Affairs and Child Development got wind of the case and ordered for the transfer of the victim and her family to Jalingo for the safety of their lives is being threatened.
“My Lord directed that I transfer the matter from chief magistrate Donga to a court in Jalingo for quick justice delivery and to ensure that the parties go to court without fear of being threatened.
” I swung into action, I called the presiding magistrate, Hon. Idris Husseini Ardo to enquire if there is a case of such in his court in which he admitted in affirmation that the police had filed a case against Mrs Abass on an allegation of causing grievous hurts to a minor.
“I told him that My Lord has ordered for the transfer of the case from his court to Jalingo to ensure the safety of the victim and that since it is a police case, the police would withdraw the First Information Report (FIR) and the defendant would be transferred to Jalingo.
Iwasen Terhemba,
” I then called the DPO Donga CSP Binfa Nannim, to intimate him on the new development in respect to the case in which he accepted that the FIR would be withdrawn and the defendant would be transported to Jalingo.
“Arrangements were made thereafter by the Chief Judge for the transportation of the defendant and the police escorts.
“On the 26th day of January 2026, I was informed by the police Prosecutor, Inspector Wunama Kwandi that they went to court, the case was called and they applied for the withdrawal of the FIR, the lawyer on the other side did not object.
“The court went ahead and granted the application for withdrawing the FIR enabling the police to amend the charges. The magistrate there and then after withdrawing the application still went ahead and granted the application of the defendant’s counsel.
“Though, the police Prosecutor objected to the bail application, the court granted the defendant bail on the account that the offence was a bailable offence and adjourned the case to the 8th day of February 2026 for the prosecution to amend their charges and released the defendant to a surety.
“At the close of the day, I called the presiding magistrate to hear from him and he responded by informing me that he granted bail after the withdrawal of the FIR since I did not formerly put in writing the directive of the Honorable Chief Judge concerning the transfer of the case citing reference that the Honourable Chief Judge said that all correspondents must be put in writing,” She said.
Justice Agya said that he has officially conveyed a written order on 27th day of January 2026 directing the presiding magistrate to immediately transfer the case file and the defendant to the police for onward transportation to Jalingo.
The CJ said the presiding magistrate had acknowledged the receipt of the letter while his office awaits compliance to the directive.
It would be recalled that Mrs Ramatu Abass earlier attacked Miss Iwasen Terhemba, a minor and cause grievous cuts on her body in Donga.
