Taraba Crisis: Family of Late SSGs Rejects State Burial

Agabus Pwanagba, Jos

The family of the late Taraba’s Secretary to the State government (SSG) Mr Jonah Agyo has rejected moves by the acting state governor Garba Umar to involve in the funeral of the late Politian, who passed away on Monday.

Taraba State Ag Governor Alh. Umar Garba

A close family source told African Examiner that, although Agyo died of natural causes, the mental anguish he suffered in his last days, may have hasten his demise.

The source added that, “Agyo was a very sad man for what he felt was the tarnishing of a brilliant career he had by the fake indictment slammed on him when he was mentioned among those who frittered away the funds meant for flood relief.

“Agyo was still on his sick bed in Israel when the panel constituted in the house of Assembly pronounced him guilty and recommend for his sack. Agyo was largely away throughout the period and never even saw a penny of that flood money but because Umar saw him as a threat, he added his name on the list of those he wanted to sack to make way for his ambition.

“After they have succeeded in trying to tarnish his image they want to come and play politics with his funeral. We won’t take that. If Agyo were alive today, he won’t allow Umar to come near him for the evil he has caused him. He stressed.

The source further revealed that those overtures were made to the family when Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Josiah Kente, paid a condolence visit to the family.

According to the source, Kente had announced that he would be relaying the news of Agyo’s death to the Deputy Governor. It was at this point that the family members

led by Agyo’s first son, Magai, roundly rejected the suggestion.

He further stated that, the family members told Kente in clear terms that they would not want any involvement by the state government as the action would be controversial.

“On the mentioning of the deputy governor’s name, there were wild shouts of anger as certain family members said they would boycott the entire exercise if the State Government, especially the Deputy Governor gets involved. They also said they would not accept any monetary donations unless if they are entitlements of the deceased.

Agyo, who served in the first tenure of the Governor Danbaba Suntai’s administration as SSG among other roles, was Commissioner of Works before he was sacked.

He was one of the five Commissioners indicted by a committee, which investigated the N400million Federal Government intervention fund for flood victims.

The sacking of the Commissioners has since been condemned as a ploy for political witch hunt as many of the people indicted were never given a chance to defend themselves at the hearings. The commissioners are currently in court challenging their ouster which they say did not follow any due process.

According to family sources, the former SSG who is a native of Wukari in Taraba South would be buried in his hometown on Saturday according to family sources.