JAMB League

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PRESS STATEMENT
JALINGO METRO BASKETBALL (JAMB) LEAGUE – SEASON 5 FINAL 8 TIP-OFF

The Jalingo Metro Basketball (JAMB) League officially tipped off the Final 8 of its Season 5 on Saturday, 4th April 2026.

It will be recalled that late last year, the Chairman of the JAMB League announced the suspension of the league until further notice following internal wrangling that affected basketball activities in Taraba State. This suspension became necessary to allow for the realignment of processes and to ensure smoother and more efficient league operations.
During the period of suspension, the league proprietors convened a strategic retreat where a comprehensive and workable framework was developed to guide future operations. A major outcome of this policy realignment is the creation of the Office of the Executive Vice Chairman. This office will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the league.

The position will be occupied by the current Vice Chairman, Mr. Aliyu Aliyu, who has been a member of the JAMB League Executive Committee since its inception in 2021. He brings with him significant experience in league management and has been a key contributor to the league’s growth and success. The management is confident that his leadership in this new role will take the JAMB League to even greater heights.

As part of the opening fixtures, the league recorded a walkover between Elite and Tigers, with Tigers awarded a 20–0 victory following Elite’s failure to show up.
We are exceptionally grateful to our fans for their patience, support, and unwavering commitment throughout the period of suspension and as we conclude Season 5.

The JAMB League remains deeply committed to youth and sports development. We recognize that our progress has been driven by collective effort, shared vision, and mutual understanding among stakeholders. Our ongoing partnership with Ahmentors Stay-in-School Basketball Clinic and Dennis Summer Hoops will continue to provide synergy for the overall basketball ecosystem and strengthen transition programs from grassroots to amateur and professional levels.

We will continue to work closely with security agencies, particularly the NDLEA, to rid our communities of crime and social vices such as the use of illicit drugs, including cannabis. We strongly oppose any individual or group involved in such activities being entrusted with the management or supervision of grassroots sports, especially those involving children.

We also call on the Taraba State Government, through the appropriate commission, to ensure proper vetting of individuals before assigning responsibilities in sports development.

Our courts remain sanctuaries for talent development, discipline, and positive engagement. We are resolute in protecting the integrity of grassroots sports and will resist any attempts to undermine its progress.

JAMB League remains proud to be a leading grassroots basketball platform in Nigeria, consistently organizing competitive games from June to December over the past five years, engaging over 150 players and a large number of officiating personnel.

We express our sincere appreciation to the Taraba State Government and our partners and donors for their continued support, and we appeal for sustained collaboration as we strive to build a stronger future for basketball and youth development.

Signed
JAMB League Management

Dear Mr. Tanko,

We acknowledge receipt of an informal communication conveyed to us through one of our officials. What makes the development particularly noteworthy is that the communication appears to respond to the outcome of a meeting whose resolutions we have not yet made public.

Your promptness is impressive. It is not often that one encounters an individual capable of responding so decisively to a request that has not yet been made. Such efficiency suggests either an exceptionally proactive information network or a rare talent for anticipating events before they occur.

In light of this, we can only assume that you may have recently assumed the role of Chief Communications Officer for the Taraba State Sports Development Commission. If that is indeed the case, please accept our congratulations. We would, however, respectfully suggest that even the most diligent officials occasionally allow processes to reach their conclusion before issuing responses on their behalf.

In your earlier message, you stated and we quote “the upright, game clock and shot clock was brought with the Sports Commission/Sports Council not TSBA. So I should take the shot clock control to the Sports Commission; anyone that wants to make use of it should write a letter directly to the Sports Commission.”
While we commend the sudden vigilance with which you have assumed custody of sporting equipment, we remain somewhat curious as to how such intervention became necessary when the Jamb League has not even concluded discussions on a venue. Even more instructive was your swift follow-up communication extending the restriction to the outdoor court, a development that appeared less like established policy and more like a rapid administrative reflex.

For the record, the Jamb League is currently in its fifth season, and at no point in its existence have we been required to seek the type of permission you so generously prescribed. Should such a requirement suddenly materialize, we will naturally address the matter directly with the Taraba State Sports Development Commission, which is the appropriate authority in such cases. Our correspondence on matters of this nature would therefore be directed to the Commission itself most likely as a notification or invitation, rather than an application for permission.

It may also be useful to recall that Jolly Nyame Stadium accommodates multiple sporting activities, including lawn tennis, badminton, volleyball, football, and several track and field events. We are therefore struggling to identify the precise moment in our sporting history when any of these sports began seeking permission to use facilities designed specifically for sports development, especially one that remains hugely deficient in tapping its full potential in sports development and competitive participation at both national and international stages. This is particularly intriguing in the case of a league that has utilized the same facility consistently for four and a half years without incident.
Furthermore, since you appear to have assumed responsibility for communicating policy on behalf of the Commission, one small point may require clarification. If a new policy governing the use of facilities has indeed emerged, which will most likely emerge shortly after this letter, would it not ordinarily be issued through a public notice and formally circulated to the relevant sporting associations? Or is this new policy being implemented through a more discreet administrative channel, one apparently reserved for the basketball community that previously declined certain forms of imposition and the rather creative interpretation of official authority?
In any case, you may also wish to inform your ever-efficient sources that the Jamb League management is currently reviewing two additional basketball courts as potential venues for our activities. As such, the matter of venue selection remains inconclusive, a situation not entirely unfamiliar within our national administrative culture.
When the time comes, however, we assure you that you will certainly not be the first to know.

The Jamb League remains committed to integrity, best practices, and the genuine development of basketball — principles that have sustained the league over the years and which continue to guide our engagement with stakeholders who share similar objectives.

Finally, while we appreciate your evident enthusiasm in matters concerning the league, we trust that future communications regarding policies of the Commission will emanate through the appropriate institutional channels. This will help avoid the small but understandable confusion that sometimes arises when individuals appear to assume responsibilities that the Commission itself has not publicly assigned.

Please accept the assurances of our regards.

Jamb League Management

PUBLIC NOTICE
1. The Jalingo Metro Basketball (JAMB) League hereby formally dissociates itself, in its entirety, from Hon. Abubakar Tanko Yusuf as Chairman, Taraba State Basketball Association (TSBA) and also due to conduct and actions that are inconsistent with the values, unity, and developmental objectives of our League and the wider basketball community. It is also our sincere and considered opinion, based on our experience and engagement within the basketball ecosystem, that neither Hon. Abubakar Tanko Yusuf nor Mr. Buhari Aliyu Saleh has demonstrated the requisite technical knowledge of the game or the administrative capacity necessary for the effective management and development of basketball affairs in Taraba State.

2. For the past five years, the League has operated a peaceful, organized, and development-driven structure, free from division and undue external influence. Our funding model has always been modest, collective, and strategic, deliberately designed to prevent overbearing control or dominance by any single individual.

3. Although Hon. Yusuf offered to sponsor the League during Season 4, this arrangement unfortunately created misconceptions regarding ownership and control. The League has never been owned or controlled by any individual. Consequently, in Season 5, the League Management Committee withdrew from the sole sponsorship arrangement and reverted to its original independent funding structure in the best interest of fairness, sustainability, and transparency.

4. It is regrettable that subsequent actions and behaviors have disrupted the harmony and smooth operations of the League. Following careful review, the League has therefore withdrawn the participation and involvement of Mr. Abba Tanko and Ms. Serah Stanley from League activities and management structures, as their continued involvement has proven detrimental to operations and organizational stability. This decision has been taken solely in the interest of protecting basketball development in Taraba State.

5. Furthermore, the League has taken note of recent developments within the Taraba State Sports Development Commission (TSSDC) regarding the purported appointment of leadership for the Taraba State Basketball Association (TSBA).

6. After reviewing the law establishing the Commission, we find no clear provision granting the Commission’s Board Chairman the authority to appoint officers for independent sports associations. Even where such authority exists, the law vests that authority with the Executive Secretary and not the Board Chairman; due process, consultation, and stakeholder engagement are fundamental principles that must be respected.

7. It is important to state that TSBA duly adopted its Constitution in February 2022, conducted democratic elections, and has since operated with a fully constituted and functional executive structure comprising Local Government Chairmen, zonal representatives, and other recognized stakeholders. As such, TSBA remains an autonomous association governed strictly by its statutes and internal democratic processes.

8. For clarity, TSBA operates independently in the same manner as other recognized state sports bodies such as the Taraba State Lawn Tennis Association, Taraba State Football Association, and the Taraba State Badminton Association. These associations are guided by their respective constitutions and democratic systems and are not subject to unilateral appointments or external interference. Accordingly, TSBA should not be treated as an appendage of any government commission but rather as an autonomous partner in the collective development of sports within the State.

9. We also find it deeply concerning that three members of the purportedly newly constituted board appear to be engaged in conducts that has generated multiple complaints and credibility concerns within and outside the basketball community. There have been several reported cases alleging financial impropriety and failure to account for funds entrusted for basketball-related activities as well as related business interests. Additionally, during a previous League awards ceremony in Season 4, certain individuals (including a clergyman)organized a parallel awards activity within the same venue without the knowledge or approval of League Management, and without proper disclosure of the purpose, proceeds, or financial accountability of such activity. These actions undermine transparency, trust, and the governance standards that the League upholds. For these reasons, we reiterate that integrity, accountability, and due process remain non-negotiable principles in the administration of basketball in Taraba State.

10. Both the Honourable member, who is a legal practitioner, and the Chairman of the Commission ought to be fully conversant with Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the fundamental right to freedom of association. This right includes the liberty of associations to determine their governance, leadership structures, and internal statutes without unlawful interference. It is therefore troubling that those entrusted with upholding the law appear to be acting contrary to its clear provisions. We are aware that TSBA was deliberately registered as an independent association and duly issued a certificate to that effect. Nothing within the Constitution grants the Chairman of the Commission powers to determine or control the operations of TSBA. At the very least, proper administrative continuity and institutional respect would require that these facts have been reflected in the official handover notes of the former Director of Sports from the defunct Sports Council.

11. If the Commission Chairman wishes to claim the non-existence of the Association Executive Committee prior to his assumption of office, that argument is pedestrian, as we are in possession of documentation of correspondence TSBA has exchanged on behalf of JAMB League. Since the existence of the former Sports Council, these correspondences include over 20 letters sent to sponsors, banks, and the Sports Commission (formerly Sports Council), and at no point did the Director of Sports or the Commission Chairman raise any objections regarding the signatories of correspondence on behalf of TSBA. Additionally, JAMB League has issued awards to the Director of Sports, the Honourable member parading himself as Chairman, and a host of several dignitaries, all signed by the TSBA Chairman, and at no occasion were these documents contested. We view the actions of the Commission Chairman as hasty and ill-advised, seemingly motivated by personal scores to settle between individuals rather than the interest of basketball development.

12. While we recognize the importance of collaboration and partnership with government institutions to promote sports development, such cooperation must always respect the independence, governance structures, and constitutional frameworks of recognized associations.

13. In the spirit of sportsmanship and community development, the League has consistently built productive partnerships with reputable basketball development initiatives, including the Taraba Hurricanes, Ahmentors Basketball Academy through training camps and grassroots programs, as well as participation in the Odogwu Annual Basketball Competition, which has broadened our competitive exposure and strengthened links to national and international opportunities. These collaborations demonstrate our commitment to structured growth, youth empowerment, and sustainable basketball development beyond local boundaries.

14. The JAMB League remains fully committed to the growth and development of basketball in Jalingo, Taraba State, and Nigeria at large. We will continue to work with individuals and organizations who contribute positively, selflessly, and transparently to the advancement of the game.

15. The League stands for service, teamwork, discipline, and integrity. It is not for sale, nor subject to personal control or influence. Anyone who wishes to be part of our story must be willing to contribute meaningfully and constructively to the development of basketball.

Signed
JAMB League Management
Jalingo Metro Basketball (JAMB) League

8 matches to go... playoffs out with the old, in with the new!!!⚡💥💥⚡💔💔🤲🏾🔥🔥🔥🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

This is how Regular Season ended 🔥 ...MVP

Big shout out to my newest top fans! 💎 Kelvin Shimave, Ayomide Gold, J.I. Bature, Victor Rimamjimtop Williams, Grace Franco, Baris Phineas, Emmanuel Jonathan, Muhammed Kabiru Musa, David Daghman, Louis Liazarus, Tene Mark, Mono Gaude, Riddling Treasure, Umar Usman Mafindi, Gift Bulus, Mic Jordan Jay Jay, Serah David Gwaze, Richard Tom, Ahmadu Abba, David Nwankwo

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community,