The Taraba Concern Citizens (TCC), a pressure group in Taraba, has accused Brigadier General Jeremiah Faransa (Rtd), chairman of the Taraba State Special Taskforce on Illegal Mining and Deforestation, of destroying state-owned mining equipment worth billions of Naira in Akwana community, Wukari local government area.
Comrade Emos Tijani, TCC Coordinator, called on Governor Kefas to explain why a Taskforce established by his government would destroy equipment procured by the same administration. Governor Agbu Kefas had secured the equipment through the State Bureau for Solid Mineral Resources for mining activities.
However, the Faransa-led Taskforce recently burned two brand new excavators, soundproof Mikano generators, detecting machines, motorcycles, and other mining equipment at the site on the Benue-Taraba border in Akwana community.
According to a source present during the destruction, Faransa claimed the equipment belonged to illegal miners exploiting mineral resources in the state. Addressing journalists in Jalingo, Tijani expressed confusion over the destruction of state-owned properties and urged Governor Kefas to clarify the communication gap between the state government and the Taskforce that led to this incident.
“We, the concerned citizens, are still puzzled about the destruction of the mining equipment. Is the Faransa-led Taskforce in disagreement with the state government, or is the governor’s administration also involved in illegal mining activities, leading to this destruction during economic hardship? We demand answers,” Tijani said.
Matsai David, Permanent Secretary of the Taraba State Bureau for Solid Mineral Resources, confirmed that he conveyed the mining equipment to Akwana in Wukari on the governor’s directive. “I conveyed the mining equipment to Wukari on the directive of the governor. I am not answerable to the Taskforce. When the governor returns from his trip, I will provide my explanation. For now, I reserve my comment,” David stated when contacted about the incident.
