Opinion: Taraba Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas Taking Giant Steps To Fight Insecurity

 

By Oluwatosin Alex

For many years, the northern region of Nigeria has suffered greatly at the hands of daredevils that could be described as the ‘terror by night and arrows that fly by the day’’. Most especially in the northeast zone, unknown gunmen and terrorists have gotten control of major parts of states in the region.

In the zone, if there is something that has been recurring in the campaign promises of governors, it is fighting insecurity. Those that have governed the state in the last twelve years all promised to fight insecurity but no significant improvement took place, rather, it got worse than before.

The level of insecurity attained in the zone as we speak is on the high side and of course, would require intentional and strategic actions to reduce it to the barest minimum. It didn’t become worse overnight and won’t be conquered overnight. It will take a long process to conquer the northern menace; Insecurity.

Weeks back, new governors were inaugurated in the zones, and among them, one who deserves accolades for his intentional actions toward fighting insecurity is the Governor of Taraba state, Dr. Agbu Kefas.

Just like his predecessors, Dr. Agbu Kefas promised to fight insecurity in Taraba state during his campaigns but the difference is He has begun working towards ending insecurity in Taraba state.

One of the first moves Dr. Agbu Kefas made was the appointment of Compol Agyole Asenya Abeh (RTD) as the Chairman of Marshall Security Guards. Taraba Marshall is a Taraba state security outfit, established in 2017, to handle local security challenges and as well, assisting both the military and the police in tackling general security challenges in the state.

Dr. Agbu Kefas, being security understands that there was a need to overhaul the security system of Taraba state to have positive results, hence, the appointment of a new head for the Taraba state security outfit.

In Nigeria, the biggest force when it comes to security is the military especially when it has gotten to a state of insecurity like we have in the north. Without the support of the military, there may be no improvement regarding security. With this understanding, Dr. Agbu Kefas paid a visit to the chief of army staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya at the defense house in Abuja to seek support for Taraba state.

Surely, Dr. Agbu Kefas has started on a very good note as governor of Taraba state. It’s been barely two weeks since his inauguration yet he has done what others couldn’t do in eight years.

His manifestoes were Education, economy and job creation, security, peace and unity, women and youth empowerment, and healthcare. So far, Dr. Agbu Kefas has touched every of his campaign promises within one week and a few days in office.

He has declared a state of emergency on education, created cleaning jobs for women and youths, embraced the night economy for Taraba state, and met with security stakeholders in the country, to mention a few. The foundation for a successful administration has been set already by Dr. Agbu Kefas and it’s sure that before his 100 days in office, Taraba state would have changed for the better.

Oluwatosin Alex Is A Journalist and Public Affairs Analyst