Taraba Inaugurates Committee To Tackle Kidnapping, Illegal Mining, Others

 

The Taraba State Government has said it will not lower its guard in the fight against insecurity by strengthening security coordination and enhancing intelligence gathering for intelligence-led operations.

Governor Agbu Kefas, at an event to inaugurate the state’s security advisory committee, said the committee would support intelligence-driven decisions and conflict prevention to strengthen peace in the state.

Kefas said the committee was established to provide timely, objective, and practical advice on security matters to support informed government decision-making.

According to him, the committee will complement the efforts of conventional security agencies by offering strategic guidance capable of addressing emerging security threats before they escalate.

The governor tasked members of the committee with promoting intelligence-driven security strategies, strengthening early warning systems, encouraging active community participation, preventing conflicts, and fostering stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, and the public.

He emphasised that security is a collective responsibility that requires cooperation, trust, and the free flow of credible information between citizens and relevant authorities.

Kefas further urged members to carry out their assignment with courage, patriotism, discretion, and absolute integrity, warning that security-related information must be handled responsibly and professionally.

Responding on behalf of the committee, the Chairman, Jonathan Kure, expressed gratitude to Governor Kefas for the confidence reposed in the members, describing their appointment as both an honour and a great responsibility.

He assured the governor that the committee would work diligently to justify the trust placed in them and contribute meaningfully to strengthening security across the state.

Kure commended Kefas for his unwavering commitment to peace and security, noting that the administration’s deliberate investments in security are creating an environment where businesses can thrive, investors can have confidence, and residents can move freely without fear.

Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the State, Gebon Kataps, highlighted the various security initiatives undertaken by the Kefas administration since assuming office.

He explained that the government had invested heavily in procuring operational equipment for security agencies to improve their effectiveness in responding to security challenges across the state.

Kataps also recalled the establishment of the Zonal Security Consultative Team, which toured all 16 local government areas, engaging directly with communities to identify security concerns and develop grassroots-driven solutions.

According to him, the consultative approach has provided government with valuable insights into the peculiar security challenges facing different parts of the state while strengthening collaboration between communities and security agencies.

The meeting, which later went into a closed-door deliberation session, produced a 13-point communique outlining key measures to strengthen security across the state.

The resolutions include improving security coordination at local government, ward and community levels through enhanced early-warning and rapid-response systems, comprehensive profiling of community organisations, and mapping of security flashpoints such as disputed lands, mining sites, forests, grazing routes and border crossings.

The meeting also directed stricter monitoring of mining activities, announced plans to establish a mobile task force to enforce compliance, and disclosed that Governor Kefas would soon sign Executive Order No. 6 of 2026 to protect host communities, promote local mineral processing, safeguard the environment and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.

Other measures include strengthening border security, intensifying joint security operations, placing vigilante groups under the supervision of statutory security agencies, and involving traditional and religious leaders in conflict prevention and intelligence gathering.

The communiqué also warned against hate speech, ethnic profiling and unverified security reports, while directing local governments to submit security risk profiles to the State Security Council.

The meeting reaffirmed the Taraba State Government’s commitment to tackling kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, land grabbing and arms trafficking, while commending security agencies, traditional institutions and residents for their cooperation.

It noted that the inauguration of the Taraba State Security Advisory Committee would provide strategic guidance to support proactive security policies, sustain peace, attract investment and improve safety across the state.

 

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