President Muhammadu Buhari has met behind closed door with Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba in the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting with the president, the governor stated that he briefed Buhari on the recent attack on parts of the state by Ambazonia separatists from Southern Cameroon.

He said he requested for assistance from the Federal Government to tackle security and other developmental issues in Taraba.

He said: “First is that I came to see, Mr President, on security issues. If you remember, some weeks back, there was an attack in Taraba state, specifically, at Manga, which has boundary with Cameroon, it was invaded by the Cameroonian armed soldiers.

“They killed 11 people, including the chief of the small town and I have not been able to see Mr President because of his busy schedule and his travels.

“So, I’m fortunate today to have an appointment with him, to brief him on details, about what transpired and need to give us some assistance in that axis. It was a very usual discussion and I am happy.”

According to the governor, he also solicited for presidential intervention to enable the state to import 2,000 tractors donated to it by the Czech government, which he said had been long lying idle for two years.

“We also have gotten assistance from Czech Republic to give us long term loan, they have actually manufactured about 2000 tractors meant for Taraba State, and for over two years it is stuck in Czech Republic.

“We have not been able to get those shipped to our farmers.

“I told Mr President that Taraba can supply the country with rice, which he knows very well because he knows Taraba absolutely well.

“If you remember, he was our governor in those days as in North East governor.

“So, I’m seeking for more aid towards the farming of rice, particularly the dry season rice, where we get three, four times of that one of the rainy season and more and more people have been encouraged into this farming,’’ he stated.

The governor revealed that the state had gone into massive production of coffee as the highland tea had since been revived.

“So, the highland tea is now everywhere. Hitherto the factory was dead, we revived the factory and is doing very well.

“And we’re encouraging more people to plant tea and we have gone into coffee now, which is my next step. I hope to do it before I leave office, let coffee also pick up like highland tea picked up,’’ he said.