Abgu Kefas Signs 3 Executive Orders To Tackle Crime

Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas has signed three Executive Orders in Taraba targeting drug abuse, political thuggery, and illegal exploitation of natural resources, in a move aimed at tightening security and protecting affected communities across the state.

The first order strengthens the legal backing behind existing laws against illicit drug use and controlled substances.

"The measure became necessary following increasing concerns over the growing incidence of substance abuse and its links to criminality, violence and social instability," Kefas said.

The state government says drug abuse has become a direct threat to young people's futures, contributing to crime, family breakdown, and falling productivity. The order also empowers relevant authorities to:

• Prevent, monitor, and prosecute drug-related offenses
• Support public education campaigns on substance abuse
• Back rehabilitation programs and youth development initiatives

With the next election cycle approaching, Kefas also signed an order banning political thuggery outright. It prohibits any individual, group, or political interest from recruiting, sponsoring, funding, or harboring political thugs.

The goal is to head off the electoral violence, voter intimidation, and property destruction that often accompany political contests, and to protect the relative peace Taraba currently enjoys.

The third Kefas Taraba Executive Order addresses environmental damage caused by illegal miners, loggers, and other unauthorized operators. The government says these activities have destroyed farmlands and water sources while putting local livelihoods and safety at risk.

"The order will strengthen measures against the illegal exploitation of natural resources, promote environmental sustainability and safeguard the rights and welfare of communities hosting legitimate resource development activities," Kefas said.

This is not Kefas's first move against illegal mining. It is actually the third executive order targeting the practice since he took office in 2023, following two earlier orders that included setting up a special task force and mobile court. Despite those efforts, Taraba is still estimated to lose more than ₦10 billion annually to illegal mining, and an earlier version of these orders was previously challenged in court by a rights activist who argued the state was overstepping into federal jurisdiction over mineral resources.