The Taraba State Government has strongly refuted allegations that Governor Agbu Kefas spent ₦5.22 billion on foreign trips within a six-month period, denouncing the claims as fabricated and misleading.
Commissioner for Information and Reorientation Zainab Jalingo issued a statement on Sunday categorically denying the expenditure figures that had been circulating in some media outlets. The reports allegedly cited the state government’s website and National Bureau of Statistics data to support their claims about the governor’s international travel expenses.
“This claim is entirely false. It is not based on any official record and constitutes a gross misrepresentation of facts, deliberately presented to mislead the public,” Jalingo declared in the government’s response.
The commissioner challenged the authenticity of the reported figures, stating that thorough verification revealed no such data in official records. She emphasized that neither the state budget, official government portal, nor NBS datasets contained the alleged expenditure amounts.
“We have checked and urged the public to do the same. Until then, the ₦5.22bn claim remains nothing but fiction,” Jalingo stated, calling on citizens to verify the information independently.
Rather than addressing the allegations further, the commissioner chose to highlight what she described as significant progress under the Kefas administration. She pointed to ongoing reforms in critical sectors including education, healthcare, and economic development, noting that transformation requires patience and sustained commitment.
“Transformation is a gradual process, requiring deliberate planning, tough choices, and sustained effort,” Jalingo explained, adding that the positive impacts of current government policies are becoming increasingly visible across Taraba State.
The government has called on residents to disregard the unsubstantiated report and instead rely on official channels for accurate information about state activities. Officials reiterated their administration’s commitment to maintaining transparency, accountability, and truthfulness in all government operations.
