Author: Our Correspondent

By Israel Adamu,Jos

Plateau PDP Progressive Vanguard on Sunday pledged it’s loyalty to the faction National Chairman of the party Hon Abdulraham Mohammed.

Addressing newsmen in Jos Alh Isa Musa Kwarshak, the Chairman and
Hon. Amos Tongwe Secretary of the group also reject in totality, the purported suspension of the National Secretary of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu,
the National Legal Adviser, Kamaluddeen Adeyemi ( SAN), the National Organising Secretary Hon Umar Bature, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Ikechukwu Osouha, by what they described as few members of the National Working Committee NWC, led by Amb.Umar Damagum after a meeting of the NWC.

They said “As genuine and committed members of our great Party the PDP, Plateau State chapter, we deem it necessary to organise this press briefing to express our unflinching loyalty, and total support to the appointment of Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, as the New Acting National Chairman of the PDP, following the suspension of Amb Umar Iliya Damagun, for his alleged incompetence, impunity, financial misconduct, and flagrant disregard to Court Judgements.

“We are well informed that those who were suspended, were not aware of the NWC’s meeting because, they were not informed. And we know as a fact that, it is the National Secretary of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, who has the official responsibility to communicate to members of the NWC concerning such meeting. ”

To us also as group. we hold that the purported suspension is ill conceived, illegal, null and void It therefore, must be rejected by all well meaning members of our Party.

We also view the step taken, as a deliberate attempt by Amb Damagun to frustrate the concerted efforts towards conducting a successful National Convention in line with the dictates of the Party’s Constitution, and the Guidelines of the 2025 National Convention.

Our dear fellow Party members, as you are all aware, the Federal Court Abuja on Friday, 31st October, 2025, presided over by Hon Justice Omotosho, delivered a landmark Judgement, which barred our great Party from going ahead with the 2025, planned National Convention.

The Honourable Court, cited breaches of the PDP, Constitution, the Guidelines for the 2025, National Convention and disobedience to Court Order bv Amb Umar Iliya Damagun.

Instead of Amb Damagun and his supporters in the NWC, to accept the Judgement of the Federal High Court in good faith, and also see it, as a window and an ample opportunity for the Party to correct their mistakes and bring all the critical stakeholders of the Party together for reconciliation, and work towards conducting the Outstanding State Congresses in the remaining 12 States, rather Damagun regrettably resorted to self help and personal vendetta against some members of the NWO to aggravate the problems of the Party thereby deeming the hope of genuine reconciliation .

They added that ” in our view, if Damagun and his clique in the NWC, were genuinely committed to a peaceful reconciliation, they would have fully complied with the Orders of the Federal High Court Abuja, to bring to an end, all the lingering Court cases.

But sadly, they were not interested in a genuine reconciliation, but rather chose to open more fronts of confrontations, and pushing the Party deeper into the trouble waters of Court cases.

We are therefore not surprised that they ran to Oyo State and secured an Exparte Order from the Oyo State High Court, which is a Court of coordinate jurisdiction with the Federal High Court Abuja.

To us, and many groups with the Party, we frown at the later Judgement, being not from an Appellate Court, which has the competent Jurisdiction to set aside the Judgement of the Federal High Court, delivered against the PDP.

This singular act, we believe also, is a grand plan by Damagun to lock the PDP in perpetual litigations, and deliberately too, aimed at stopping the Party from presenting valid candidates for the 2027 general election.

If Damagun was interested in genuine reconciliation, critical stakeholders of the Party like, the former Governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Rivers State, who is currently the Minister of the FCT, Barr Nyesome Wike, the former Governor of Abia State, Okey Ikpeazu, former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, former Governor of Ekiti State Ayo Fayose and many others wouldn’t have been sidelined in the affairs of the Party in the build up to the 2025 National Convention.

The group added that ” These are leaders that have stood for the Party through thick and thin and they must be carried along for genuine reconciliation, aimed at bringing back the party to the path of progress and success in the forthcoming general election. ”

“We have recently watched in utter shame and disbelieve, how the Amb Umar Iliya Damagun led clique humiliated, Alh Sule Lamido, a renowned founding member of the Party, and how he was frustrated, and denied the right to purchase the nomination form to contest for the position of the National Chairman of the Party, zoned to the North West geopolitical zone, in crass display of illegality, impunity, dictatorship and discrimination, against some critical stakeholders of the Party perceived as opponents within the Party. ”

Looking at the immeasurable contribution of Barr Nyesome Wike to the PDP since, 1999 to date, not only in Rivers State, but the entire country and yet. he is not been carried along in the affairs of the Party. by Amb Damagun, is shocking, unbelievable, and better imagine than a reality.

For us in Plateau State, we are indebted to Barr Nyesome Wike. for his massive support and contributions to the PDP. to win the Governorship election in 2023, and therefore, will not bite the finger that fed us We will always identify and stand with him for the overall success of our great Party.

Any attempt to sideline him and other critical stakeholders that have sustained the Party over the years will be resisted and rejected.

As a law-abiding group, we align with the position of the NWC under the leadership of the New Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, to cancel the planned 2025 National Convention, on the basis of the Judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, delivered on 31st October,2025, pending the outcome of the interpretation of the Judgement by the Court of Appeal.

“We aligned with the position of the NWC, under the leadership of, Hon, Abdulrahman Mohammed, to approach the Court of Appeal for interpretation ot the Judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Party to have a clear direction. ”

We also wish to endorse and congratulate distinguished Senator Moa Ohuabunwa and Alh Isa Dansidi, on their appointments, as Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the PDP.

According to them ” This is because we believe in their integrity, competence, and capacity to bring everyone together and restore confidence, trust and faith in the Party. ”

We want to call on the teeming members and supporters of our great party in Plateau State and the country at large, to align and continue to support the New Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, and Members of the NWC, as well as, the newly inaugurated BOT members of our great Party, in their effort towards reconciling and repositioning the Party to organise an all inclusive and seamless 2025 National Convention that is in tandem with the Constitution of the PDP, and the Guidelines of the 2025 National Convention.

By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo

After 26 years of protracted crisis, the Akwa Ibom chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have concluded plans to celebrate Igbo Unity Day to mark the end of the crisis and celebrate the reunion of Igbos living in the state.

This is even as the leadership of the apex Igbo cultural organization in the state have estimated the crisis to have cost at least N400 million in litigations with several.lives lost in the process

The event with the theme: Peace and Progress; A Panacea for Progress and Development” according to the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state Kayceey Chidiadi would bring together the 31 Local chapters of the organization to Uyo next week

Chidiadi regretted that some of the prominent persons who engaged in the crisis that rocked the Igbo community in the state have passed away and assured that they would be posthumously honoured during the event as peace and unity have returned and embraced by all factions.

According to the President, “to achieve the peace unity and progress we are celebrating today, my administration upon assumption of duty pioritised reconciliation of all factions, it was a very big task but we withered the storm after several sessions, we were able to bring all warring factions on a round table and signed a lasting peace accord”.

He highlighted that his team through the assistance of the court succeeded in obtaining an out of Court settlement for all the cases instituted as a result of the crisis with warring factions agreeing to shear their sword.

To make the event very memorable, he said that Igbos in the state have been urged to shut down all their business outlets, appealing to the Igbos in the entire 31 local government areas of the state to troop out en masse for the august occasion.

The President who declared end to all factions which hither to existed in Igbo community in the state announced that his administration has extended the chapters of the body in the state from 11 to 27 chapters and would inaugurate the remaining 4 chapters after the coming event to complete the 31 local government areas of the state.

Chidiadi said that Igbos have contributed in no small measure to the socio economic progress of the state and called for support and cooperationfrom indegenes of the area for mutual.benefit.

His administration, the President said has made wide ranging efforts to ensure the growth and progress of the organization while gains have been made in recent times.

“My administration has also ensured we have a befitting Secretariat, a working bank account for the body and also planning to secure our permanent Secretariat for the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state.

“Igbos are very progressive and development minded race and usually add value to any community they live, they build homes and take such areas as their home which means they will never engage in any negative activity to undermine their host community.” He said.

Chidiadi described Akwa ibom as a very peaceful state and her people very hospitable adding that the government of Umo Eno has provided serene and secured environment for thwir businesses to thrive.

By Austin Eshemokha

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, yesterday addressed a world press briefing in Abuja, denying allegations of a “Christian genocide” in the country.

Idris stated that the federal government has identified links between foreign lobbyists, particularly in the US, and activities within Nigeria aimed at distorting the country’s security situation and fueling religious tension.

The minister emphasized that while the government acknowledges the impact of insecurity on several communities, there is no credible evidence of systematic attacks targeting any specific religious group.

Idris reiterated the current administration’s commitment to tackling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes in the country.

Idris also highlighted the government’s efforts to address security challenges, including military operations in the North-West region, which have led to the surrender of bandits and the freeing of hostages. He urged the international community, particularly the US, to approach Nigeria’s situation with understanding and constructive engagement ².

The press briefing comes amid heightened tensions following claims by former US President Donald Trump of a “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria, which prompted a response from the Nigerian government.

See full speech below:

SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, MOHAMMED IDRIS, FNIPR, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN RESPONSE TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S DESIGNATION OF NIGERIA AS A “COUNTRY OF CONCERN” HELD AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, RADIO HOUSE, ABUJA, ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Gentlemen and ladies of the press. I welcome you again to this briefing and i must appreciate you for turning out in your numbers even with a very short notice. The government is well apprised with the level of anxiety created by the designation of our country as a country of particular concern (CPC) by the US government and threats of military invasion by President Donald Trump following a wrong perception and misrepresentation of the security challenges in our country. The federal government has always recognized the security challenges that had beset our country since 2009 with the advent of Boko Haram terrorists.

Let me state from the outset that the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have taken note of the position of the Government of the United States of America on Nigeria over alleged violations of religious freedom.

Nigeria faces longstanding security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike, and we mourn every loss of life—knowing that even a single loss of life is one too many.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is more than determined to confront and end these security challenges. Since May 2023, when he assumed office, Nigeria’s security agencies have neutralized more than 13,500 terrorists through sustained operations and arrested over 17,000 suspects, who are now undergoing interrogation or prosecution for various offences. Also, more than 9,800 victims abducted by terrorist elements, including women and children, have been rescued and reintegrated.

It is important to restate that the menace of terrorism in Nigeria does not exclusively target any religious or ethnic group. As in many parts of the world, extremism is mindless, blind to religion, tribe, or class. It is a war against all peace-loving Nigerians and against the unity and progress of our great nation.

Therefore, any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian State is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data. Several leading personnel of the very dedicated Armed Forces of Nigeria and the country’s intelligence agencies are Christians, working and succeeding alongside their Muslim colleagues in the fight against extremists and criminals waging war against our country and values.

Also, Nigeria’s security challenge cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the volatile security situation in the Sahel region—and complicating factors such as the collapse of Libya over a decade ago, flooding the region with terrorist elements, extremist groups, and illegal weapons. The regional dimension underscores why Nigeria continues to champion greater cooperation within ECOWAS, tge African Union, and international partners – including ths United States – to stabilise the Sahel and cut off the transnational lifelines of terrorism. The other issue is the socio-economic dimension of the conflict in the North-Central, especially in Plateau and Benue State, exacerbated by age-long farmers-herders violent clashes made worse by climate change and desertification.

The recent change in Service Chiefs and the subsequent realignment within the Armed Forces and security agencies reflect President Tinubu’s determination to reinvigorate Nigeria’s security architecture. This strategic overhaul is designed to infuse fresh energy, innovation, and accountability into our national defence and intelligence systems.

The mission is to deliver better results, strengthen coordination among the services, and stamp out terrorism and violent crime in every part of Nigeria. The President’s directive is unequivocal — that every inch of Nigerian territory must be secured, and every citizen must live free from fear.

Our military and other security agencies are winning the war on terrorism and the results in the past years and most especially in the last two years of President Tinubu’s leadership are real and remarkable.

We have made stringent efforts in curtailling access to small arms and light weapons by non-state actors. Security agencies recovered and destroyed over 5,000 military-grade rifles and intercepted over 20 gun-running networks in the past months.

The administration has made multi-million-dollar investments in modernised equipment for our security agencies and has increased the defence and security budget. The President has always given the military his absolute support, and I assure you that there is the political will to remove the last vestiges of this menace from our country.

In the past two years, significant progress has been made in the war against terrorism across the North-West, North-East and South-East, North-Central, and other parts of our country. Within this period, the number of terrorism-related attacks has plummeted. In March, a report by the Global Terrorism Index indicated that terrorist attacks were at their lowest in over a decade in Nigeria.

In the past eight months, the Nigerian military neutralized over 592 terrorists in Borno State alone. Over 13,500 terrorists and armed criminals have been neutralised. More than 17,000 arrests made. Over 11,200 hostages freed. More importantly, over 124,000 insurgents and their families surrendered, handing over more than 11,000 weapons. In the North-West, especially Zamfara and Kaduna, 11,250 hostages have been freed, and some of the terror leaders —Ali Kachala, Boderi, Halilu Sububu — have been neutralized. In August, the military intercepted and killed, in one fell swoop, over 400 armed bandits who had converged to attack a village in Zamfara.

In the South-East, terror attacks have been reduced by almost 80% through the joint effort of our security agencies. In the North-Central, many of these criminal elements have been neutralized, and many arrests have been made. The government is ratcheting up effort to ensure more robust security in the North-Central as new threats emerge.

Two terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, who are wanted internationally, are currently undergoing prosecution. The two, who are believed to be leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, were captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation in July.

Their arrest marked a turning point in our ongoing operations against terrorism. Usman, the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, allegedly coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also believed to have masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and robberies, the proceeds of which were used to finance terrorism over the years. Abba, Usman’s chief of staff and deputy, is alleged to have led the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around the Kainji National Park, located on the border between the states of Niger and Kwara, as well as the Republic of Benin.

Another terror suspect, Khalid Al‑Barnawi, accused of being the mastermind of the August 26, 2011, bombing of the United Nations Complex in Abuja, in which 20 people were killed and more than 70 others injured, is also facing prosecution. Captured in 2016, Al Barnawi is facing trial along with four other terror suspects – Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello aka Datti, Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu aka Bello Maishayi.

On August 11, five terror suspects were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

Also undergoing trial are the suspects arrested in connection with the Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on June 13, 2025, where dozens of people were killed and 107 were injured. drew worldwide condemnation. On June 24, 2025, 26 suspects in connection with the massacre were arrested. In August 2025, terrorism-related charges were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the suspects.

There are hundreds of other suspects under the military’s protective custody, whose cases are being handled by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. So far, 125 of the terrorists have been convicted. The various arrests and trials of terrorism suspects showed that Nigeria’s security agencies have been diligent in dealing with the perpetrators of terror in the country.

We shall continue to make the suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country, in consonance with the rule of law. The federal government will not recline until the remnants of these hounds of death are permanently removed.

The Government of Nigeria remains open and willing to work closely with the Government of the United States, other friendly nations and partners, to achieve our shared goal — the complete elimination of terrorism on Nigerian soil.

The cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has already resulted in the delivery of a dozen Super Tucano aircraft—which have been of tremendous impact in the anti-insurgency fight—with another dozen AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters in the process of being acquired by the Nigerian Air Force. We call on our American friends and partners to approach the Nigerian situation with an understanding of its complex realities — a vast, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious nation making significant strides in economic reform and in the bolstering of its security architecture.

We believe that constructive engagement is the surest and most effective way to achieve peace and stability. Nigeria welcomes dialogue, cooperation, and support from foreign nations, including the United States of America in addressing our shared security concerns.

We warmly invite all our partners, both domestic and international, to join us in this noble endeavour — anchored on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.

The President Tinubu administration remains ever faithful and committed to its duty of securing our nation and its peoples. As the President himself has reassured, Nigeria stands firmly on the constitutional guarantees on citizens’ liberty and freedom of religion. I want to assure Nigerians that the country is in capable and steady hands with President Tinubu leading the charge to boost our economy, strengthen our military and intelligence capabilities and leading the country towards greater and shared prosperity. On the current misreading and misjudging of the reality of Nigeria’s true security situation by the United States, President Tinubu is taking the lead to resolve all areas misunderstanding through all available diplomatic and political channels just as the Federal Government welcomes more collaboration, assistance and partnership with all our foreign partners and the United States.

Thank you for your attention and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mohammed Idris, fnipr

Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.

Wednesday, November 5, 2025