OPINION
X-Raying Governor Agbu Kefas peace mantra for the past one year in office.
Henry Agbu
Gov Agbu Kefas of Taraba State
One of the remarkable achievements of Governor Agbu Kefas for the past one year in office is the restoration of peace.
Without exaggeration, Dr Agbu Kefas was scored high in the reduction of crime and criminalities, banditry and kidnappings which were the order of the day in the past.
You will agree that the issue of insecurity is a national problem and before the advent of the Kefas’ administration, banditry and kidnapping, as well as ethno-religious crises were the dominant news about Taraba State.
In the wake of his administration, there were communal crisis in Karim Lamido between the Karinjo and the Wurkuns, there was also bandit attacks in Takum and Ussa local government areas.
The Governor’s approach to ending the Karim crisis was commendable as both tribes have since embrace peace and are working collaboratively as people that have intermarried in the past and share common historical background.
When it comes to matters of security, Dr Agbu Kefas champions the cause himself. That is his constituency as a retired Senior military officer. There was a time he told Karim stakeholders that they would all sleep at the Exco Chamber of Government House, Jalingo until the crisis was resolved. And without much time, the crisis was brought to an end.
Worthy of mention, is that there has never been any major crisis or dispute that has threatened the peace of the state.
It is not debatable that before the emergence of Dr Agbu Kefas, the state was dominated by communal disputes, bandit attacks or ethno-religious crises in almost all nook and crannies of the state.
Within the year under review, Southern Taraba has been peaceful. Central Taraba has been peaceful, and Northern Taraba has also been peaceful. It has been a very peaceful reign for the past one year of his administration.
Additionally,Takum Wukari Road which was a den of kidnapping, is now peaceful. The Governor himself plies the roads very often.
The Governor’s investment in the security of life and properties of the people cannot be over-emphasised.
He has proven that as a former military officer of high repute, he is capable of sustaining peace in the state.
He has accorded top priority to matters of security and he is always proactive in his approach to security matters.
Dr Agbu Kefas took very good advantage of his friendship while in the military and his relationship with top military officers to ensure that Taraba State is peaceful. Out of his tight schedules, he took turns and visited almost all the headquarters of the security agencies in the country in Abuja where he sought collaboration and requested more presence, surveillance and diligence from the various services.
These collaborations with various security agencies have been working and yielding positive results. It has also put them on their toes in response to emergencies.
Under Dr Agbu Kefas all the security agencies are working efficiently.
Another commendable stride of the Governor in the area of security was the donation of various vehicles, JAC Hilux and motorcycles to various security operatives in the state. This synergy is also working as the agencies now have the needed logistics for crime control and territorial security.
To further prove the seriousness of the Governor in the area of security, all local government areas now have Special Advisers to the Council Chairmen on security.
Kudos to Dr Agbu Kefas for sustaining peace and security and ensuring that the state is conducive for developmental activities.
