Taraba Group: Deputy Governor Umar Is A Religious Fanatic

A group, Taraba Christian Youth Assembly has accused the state deputy governor, Alhaji Garba Umar of religious extremism.

The group claimed that Umar, a former national scribe of the Izalla sect, had declared Jihad on Christians with a view to islamizing the state.

The group made the claims in a statement. The statement was signed by Hon. David Ibn Gideon, the group's spokesman.

Entitled “Umar is Fighting Christians in Taraba State”, the group alleged that Umar main agenda since becoming deputy governor was to Islamize the state.

According to the group, so fixated was Umar on his Izala sect, that the deputy governor doesn't even consider non-Izala real muslims.

The deputy governor, claimed the group, has surrounded himself with trusted Izalla leaders who constantly device strategies to weed out christian appointees.

The group listed the recent sack, by Umar, of the Head of Service Augustine Bazing, and the planned removal of Rev. Lenbang and Dr. David Jedua- the state Accountant General and chairman of Sarduana LGA respectively- as part of the religious cleansing.

Below is a full text of the group's statement:
We are aware of the series of activities carried out by the disloyal Deputy Governor of Taraba state, Alhaji Garba Umar, aimed at decimating and decapitating Christians in government positions in Taraba state.

We have kept a studied silence this long because we thought Umar, an old man of over 70 years, would rethink his actions. But clearly, like the proverbial hunter's dog, Umar is becoming deaf to reason and sense. Umar is busy dividing this once cohesive state along faith lines and pushing us to the brink!

He is a stranger in our midst and he is introducing religious politics to create confusion. This is not who we are as a people. We are a state of Christians and Muslims living together in peace. Every home here has Christians and Muslims family members. But Umar wants to turn Taraba to a solely Muslim state. We would resist this vehemently.

Governor Danbaba Suntai was not a religious bigot! Although, he is a devout Christian, Suntai is married to a Muslim woman and has Muslims as friends and top level aides. Umar, on the other hand is a fanatic who knows only Muslims of the Izala leanings! Umar even discriminates within his own faith as he prefers only Izala!! What a shame.

A visit to his house or office in Jalingo any day is like performing the lesser hajj as his compound is filled with his fellow Izala. No attempt at balance or even decency as he blatantly displays his fanaticism. That's not how to run Taraba or be a good leader.

Umar is, as everyone knows, a religious bigot who once headed the radical islamic sect known as Izala nationally. As the Secretary-General of this sect, Umar preached religious hate to the extent he was chased out of Jos, the Plateau state capital. He was chased out of Jos because of his fundamentalism and intense hatred for christians. His mission in Plateau was to wipe out christians. He failed in doing so but that was after he had inspired the burning of churches and death of many christians there! At last he was chased out of Jos. Most Jos residents can corroborate this story.

Now, unfortunately for us in Taraba state, this hater of Christians (and Muslims of other sects as well!) is here now and carrying out the same “Jihad” he started in Jos. The first thing he said when he became deputy governor was to complain that Christians were in the majority both in the state's EXCO and the House of Assembly.

When a delegation of Izala clerics visited him to congratulate him after he was sworn in as Deputy Governor, he promised them that he would soon “overthrow” the Christian domination in the state. And he has since kept his words in the following ways:

1. GOVERNOR DANBABA SUNTAI
Although we can not say with certainty if he was directly involved in the plane crash of Governor Suntai, Umar's currents actions show clearly that he would have preferred his boss had died on that crash! First, he was not happy that Suntai survived and returned from the medication in the USA. Immediately Suntai returned, Umar ensured the House of Assembly under the late speaker, Haruna Tsokwa, stopped Suntai from taking over. He is currently doing everything in his power to impeach Suntai. He said he doesn't want to play second fiddle to a Christian boss- the same Christian who brought him from abject poverty to relevance.

2.THE TARABA STATE EXCO
Umar sacked 5 commissioners who are Christians. He was to sack 6 commissioners but allow the sixth person, Prince Gabdo Mustapha, to resign. He chased out the 5 christians in the most ignominious manner ever known in this state. Although he claimed to have replaced the commissioners with fellow Christians, he ensured that Muslims got key ministries in his illegal cabinet. We are watching.

3. HEAD OF SERVICE
The other day, Umar sacked the Head of Service, Builder Augustine Bazing on the flimsy excuse that Bazing accompanied former Governor Rev Jolly Nyame and Governor Suntai to church!

4. THE CIVIL SERVICE
We are aware of how Umar is filling up the state's civil service with lower rank officers from the local governments to the state's level. These elevations are mostly from Jalingo, Gassol and Karim Lamido, and they are mostly Muslims. Presently a committee consisting mostly of Muslims members is to plan new postings of head of parastatals and board chairmen. Sani Sule Sale, a renown hater of Christians (and maintains that Taraba is a Muslim state) is one of the committee members. The plan is to weed out Christians from “sensitive” position ahead the 2015 elections! Umar thinks that by destroying Christians, he shall become governor but we challenge him to run in 2015! Shame is his portion!

5. THE PLANNED SACK OF THE CHAIRMAN OF SARDUANA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL.

Umar, in conjunction with his rubber stamp house of assembly, is currently planning to sack Dr. David Jedua, Chairman of Sarduana LGA and Rev. Lenbang, the state's Accountant General. Both men are Christians of Mamblla extraction. For some reasons, Umar hates the Mambilla people. He replaced former SSG, Emmanuel Njiwa, with a kaka. The Mambilla are in the majority in Sarduana but Umar wants them crippled!

FINALLY
In conclusion we want to strongly warn Umar (aka UTC) to know that we are watching him! If he sacks any Christian again for stupid and flimsy reasons, he shall not know peace. For He that renews the strength of our Youth like that of the Eagle is Alive.

Shallom.
David Ibn Gideon
SPEAKER
TARABA CHRISTIAN