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Makarfi PDP faction as the real terror group

Published

9 years ago

May 9, 2017

By: Richard Murphy

It takes morbid callousness or an unrivalled level of ignorance or a combination of both to attempt the stunt by a faction of the troubled People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in its reaction to the release of 82 of the abducted Chibok girls.

A statement credited to the spokesperson for the Ahmed Makarfi PDP faction, Dayo Adeyeye, apparently has issues with the swapping of the some Boko Haram prisoners for the girls.

Assessed on the template of beer parlour debate, the PDP faction has some points going for it. It contended that it is against the international principle of never negotiating with terrorists, would embolden Boko Haram to extract more concessions from the Federal Government and would encourage the terrorists to carry out more abductions. It is also worried that the released prisoners would be back in terrorists camps to possibly stage more attacks or worse still they would be free to roam the streets and recruit more fighters. Added to these, the faction of PDP somehow developed the empathy to articulate how the release of these 82 girls would affect the families whose members are still in captivity.

These arguments however fall flat once taken away from the realm of drinking joints where the average right thinking person is able to humanly and humanely look at issues without the benefit of confounding fumes. The situation at hand requires the clearest of thinking to appreciate what has happened with the benefit of foresight and hindsight and not just responding out of reflex.

That is what is expected of all rational Nigerians at this moment as only such appreciation would have made the greatest critics of the Nigerian Federal Government to commend the release of the girls without bothering about the cost at which their freedom was secured.

The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Group, which has been at the forefront of demanding action from the government on the girls’ release was ecstatic at the news that 82 girls have been freed. The group was elated six months ago when the first batch of 21 girls were released and judging from its reaction its appreciation was four-folds for the second batch of 82 girls.

Even the usually antagonistic Amnesty International (AI) which saw nothing good about the monumental efforts of our gallant troops to redeem the country from terrorists, had positive things to say about the release of the girls. Where the safety and freedom of the abducted girls is concerned, swapping ten terrorists in detention for one girl is justifiable as the country would have saved one person from a harsh fate by so doing. That said, the claim of this factional PDP must be addressed so that it does not continue to have the misplaced impression that it can ride on a wave of populism to worm its way back into public acceptance on the wrong premise.

Unfortunately, the PDP was trying to create unnecessary fear over the tendency for terrorists’ to re-offend upon being freed, recidivism. The faction however failed to point out that terrorists that re-offend are most likely to get killed when they return to a life of crime. This is not counting the fact that those likely to succumb to recidivism constitute a fraction of those that regain freedom. Re-offending is also not limited to terrorists, other criminals re-offend too. And now that the PDP has drawn our attention to it, another chance to this gang of politicians will see them re-offend by again looting the country and providing inept leadership.

Suddenly the PDP, which committed its years in power to creating the hydra-headed Boko Haram is now aware of international principles. It is now enlightened to the point of knowing that it is not globally acceptable to negotiate with terrorists.

The claim in this regard is ridiculous because it was the PDP, in the era of Alex Badeh as Chief of Defence Staff, that was busy declaring ceasefires each time it was supposed to strike a final blow against the terrorists. It was the PDP that employed the tired cliché of order from above to free the earliest Boko Haram suspects at a time when there were no civilian hostages to be freed. It was the PDP that paid huge amounts to terrorists for failed ceasefires only for Boko Haram to use the funds to procure sophisticated weapons. Someone must therefore tell the PDP that this swap is not the same as the charade that went on in their own time.

It is exceedingly naïve to tout the concept of not negotiating with terrorists without recognizing the trade-offs. Countries that do not negotiate with terrorists tend to exterminate the captives with their captors. The PDP wants the government to pulverize the abducted girls with the Boko Haram captors! The girls were taken under PDP’s watch and they never thought to murder them at that time but they now want another government to have the blood of the innocent on its hands.

These desperadoes must ask themselves probing questions and answer sincerely. They should ask if the APC government has not demonstrated that governance is about the people no matter how mad they chose to be in a democracy? How many Nigerians initially held hostage by the terrorists from the PDP era have been freed today? The latter question has to do with deliberate omission by the PDP in its statement to recognize that there are other hostages that do not have the Chibok Girls’ celebrity status, who have been freed through government intervention.

As for the families that will be traumatized seeing other girls returned when theirs are still in captivity, the PDP faction should have seen this as another opportunity at great reflection at the damage they inflicted, not just on the grieving families but on the entire nation. Their years of misrule and kleptocracy was the catalyst for the poverty that became the precursor for the growth of extremism and subsequently terrorism. The faction should visit these families and apologize for everything it failed to do while in power and the one it did wrong.

The factional PDP disagreement with negotiating to secure the release of the abducted girl is noted but should be taken with a pinch of salt. One must however wonder if this stance would be the case had the girls languishing in Boko Haram captivity were the children of those in that faction. It is one thing to reject an option; in this case negotiating the girls’ freedom, it is another thing to come up with viable alternatives to what is being rejected.

Since negotiating or swapping Boko Haram prisoners is not acceptable, what other options is the PDP giving us? It has none. This is sad. Could the be so bereft of ideas to this extent?

By trying to blackmail the government to leave the Chibok Girls in Boko Haram’s camps the Makarfi PDP faction has proven it is desirous of continuing to terrorize Nigerians. It is the only incentive it could have for trying to keep the girls imprisoned. In the last part of its 16 years of misrule, the then President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that Boko Haram were part of his cabinet, which also means they are in his political party, the PDP. Now that the end game for the terror group is near, its political face is manifesting in the form of the Markafi PDP faction. It is the real terror group.

Murphy is a security expert and contributed this piece from

Cotbus, Germany.

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Benue Killings: Tiv Youths Give Politicians, Governments 90-Day Ultimatum

Published

8 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Our Reporter

The Tiv Youths Organisation (TYO), Worldwide, has issued a 90-day ultimatum to political aspirants across all parties and to governments at the local, state and federal levels to put an end to the ongoing killings by suspected herdsmen in Benue State.

The warning was issued by the Acting President General of the organisation, Comrade Patrick Terfa Angbagh, amid continued attacks, loss of lives and the displacement of Tiv communities. He described the situation as a clear failure of leadership and governance, stressing that the blood of Benue people must no longer be reduced to political statistics.

According to Angbagh, the Tiv people have endured prolonged suffering marked by repeated attacks, mass burials and what he described as “empty condolences.”

“The Tiv people and Benue citizens have suffered enough pain. If within the next 90 days these killings do not stop, then no aspirant—regardless of party affiliation—should expect to campaign or seek votes in Benue State ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.

The organisation warned that political ambition without a commitment to protecting human lives was unacceptable, adding that Tiv youths across the state were ready to mobilise peacefully to resist any attempt to normalise insecurity for electoral gain.

Angbagh emphasised that security should not be treated as a campaign slogan but as a constitutional responsibility. He called on the Federal Government to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve security deployment and ensure accountability among security agencies.

He also urged the Benue State Government to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action, while charging local government authorities to assume responsibility for community protection and the establishment of effective early-warning systems.

The Tiv Youths Organisation cautioned that silence, indifference or political exploitation of the crisis would no longer be tolerated, warning that Benue must not be turned into a killing field ahead of future elections.

“Any aspirant who cannot defend the lives of the people has no moral right to ask for their votes,” Angbagh stated.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy, justice and the protection of Tiv ancestral lands, and called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations to join in demanding urgent action to end the killings.

“Enough is enough. Benue lives matter,” the organisation declared.

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Woro Bandits’ Attack: Kwara Gov sets up seven-person committee

Published

9 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the appointment of a seven-person committee to interface with Woro community on humanitarian support that the Governor announced earlier on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye said the Chairman of the Committee is Hon. Ahmed Kiwozi, a former lawmaker from Kaiama Local Government Area.

Other members are the Vice Chairman of the Local Government Council Aisha Abubakar Sadiq; Alhaji Abubakar Mora; Woro Village Head Alhaji Umar Bio Saliu; and a representative each of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP); and a representative of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government who should be a female.

The Committee, which has four weeks to carry out its assignment, will interface with the community leaders on rebuilding efforts, areas of need of the survivors, and other outstanding issues.

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Tinubu Holds High-Level APC Meeting at Presidential Villa

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Our Reporter

Fabian Apechihin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday met with top stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to review preparations for the party’s forthcoming convention and congresses.

The closed-door meeting brought together members of the APC national leadership, state governors, and key figures from the party’s caucus in the National Assembly.

Among those present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; House of Representatives Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere; Chief Whip of the House, Usman Bello Kumo; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

Speaking after the meeting, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, described the engagement as brief but productive, noting that it focused on aligning preparations and strengthening unity within the party ahead of the convention and congresses.

According to Yilwatda, discussions centred on deepening collaboration between the party’s national leadership, sub-national governments, the National Assembly, and the party structure. “It was a brief meeting to review our preparations for the convention and congresses and to strengthen synergy among all arms of government,” he said.

He added that the party’s rapid growth, marked by the influx of new members, governors, and lawmakers, made inclusivity a key priority. “The party is expanding every day. We are growing beyond bounds, and we want to ensure that in the process of this growth, nobody is left behind,” Yilwatda stated.

The APC chairman also praised President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a seasoned politician whose guidance continues to shape the party’s strategic direction. “Mr President is a very experienced politician. His advice was remarkable, and his deep understanding of the political cycle is driving the strength and expansion of the party,” he said.