Taraba community protests as gov creates new chiefdom

Forum 1 year ago

Taraba community protests as gov creates new chiefdom

The Stakeholders and Elders Forum of Gassol 1 Constituency in the Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, on Sunday, called on Governor Darius Ishaku “to respect the order of the court and suspend all actions on the creation of Kwararafa Chiefdom and appointment of a new chief.”

This was contained in a press release by the spokesman for the forum, Hamman Tukur-Kawu.

The forum stated that it had in 2019 vehemently opposed the creation of Kwararafa chiefdom out of Gassol chiefdom, and even went to court to compel the government to reverse its decision.

Tukur-Kawu added that on March 10, 2023, Justice D. N. Buba of the state high court in Jalingo restrained the governor, Attorney General of Taraba State, and Kwararafa Chiefdom Traditional Council from taking further actions pending the determination of the Motion on Notice in Suit No.TRSJ/85/2018.

He said, “Despite the court order, which we believe was served on the government and the other defendants, we are shocked that the state government went ahead to appoint one Meithusela Adamu as the third-class chief of Kwararafa on March 23, 2023.

“We do not only view this appointment as a gross contempt of court, but an abuse of the rule of law and mockery of the judicial process.

“The total disregard for a court order is just to cause a rift and incite violence among the people of Gassol 1 Constituency.”

Tukur-Kawu called on the people of the area to remain calm and not disrupt the peaceful coexistence of the residents of the area, assuring them that the law would prevail eventually.

When contacted, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Bala Dan-Abu, in a WhatsApp message simply wrote, “I will call you later.”