In what came as a twist of power and authority, the chairman of the Taraba State Special Taskforce on Illegal Mining and Deforestation, Brigadier General Jeremiah Faransa (rtd), has been accused of destroying the state-owned mining equipment worth billions of naira.
Addressing a press conference in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital this morning (Monday, July29), the Coordinator of the Taraba Concerned Citizens (TCC), a pressure group operating in Taraba, Comrade Emos Tijani, urged the State Governor, Agbu Kefas to explain to the people of the State why and how a taskforce established by his government would destroy billions of naira equipment procured by the same government.
Tijani recalled Governor Kefas had procured mining equipment worth billions through the State Bureau for Solid Mineral Resources for mining activities but lamented that the Faransa-led Taskforce burnt two brand new excavators, soundproof Micano generators, detecting machines, motorcycles and other mining equipment at the mining site located at Benue-Taraba boundary in Akwana community in Wukari Local Government Area of the State
Faransa, according to a source who was at the mining site during the destruction, claimed that the equipment belonged to illegal miners who always hid to harness mineral resources in the state.
But, Tijani, at the press conference, alleged there were discrepancies in the narratives leading to the burning of the mining equipment, insisting that “it is still not clear why a Taskforce that was set up by the governor would destroy state-owned properties of such magnitude.”
He, therefore, urged Governor Kefas to urgently provide detailed information explaining the type of communication gap between the State government and the Taskforce that could have led to the incident.
“We in the Concerned Citizens group are still confused as to what led to the destruction of the mining equipment; is it that the Faransa-led Taskforce is in disagreement with the state government? Or, is it that the Governor and his government are also engaged in illegal mining activities and the equipment worth billions of naira had to be destroyed even though they were procured with Taraba taxpayers’ money, not minding the huge economic losses to the state especially at a time like this time that there is so economic hardship? We demand to know,” Tijani said.
In the meantime, the Permanent Secretary, Taraba State Bureau for Solid Mineral Resources, Matsai David has confirmed that he conveyed the mining equipment procured by the Bureau to Akwana in Wukari on the directives of the Governor.
“I conveyed the mining equipment to Wukari on the directive of the Governor; I am not answerable to the Taskforce. When the Governor comes back from his trip, I will give my explanation about the situation. (But), for now, I reserve my comment,” David said when contacted over the incident.
