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Nigeria’s painful silence and selective outrage that fuels division
Nigeria’s painful silence and selective outrage that fuels division
By: Zagazola Makama
Three months ago, two Catholic priests Fr. John Igwebueze and Fr. Matthew Eya of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Enugu State were brutally murdered by armed members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN group, widely referred to as “Unknown Gunmen.” Their killers did not hide. They claimed responsibility. There was no ambiguity, no attempt to shift blame, no opportunity to invoke the usual scapegoats. And yet, the country remained disturbingly quiet.
There were no trending hashtags, no loud condemnations from pulpits, no fiery commentaries from activists, and no international calls for inquiries. The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka buried the slain priests quietly without protest marches, vigils, or the global attention that similar tragedies have elicited in the past.
Even the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has remained silent, offering no statement or call for international attention from Donald Trump or US Senator Ted Cruz since the attackers were not those they wanted to carry out the crimes. They are IPOB. During the burial, most media houses did not amplify the incident because it could not serve as fuel for the usual narratives.
International actors who regularly spotlight religion-related violence in Nigeria remained silent. There were no statements from groups in the United States or Europe. No congressional letters. No tweets from Christian lobby networks. No protests. Why? Because the attackers were not the preferred villains.
Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi who is one of the persons at the centre of the row between the United States (US) and Nigeria over alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria, kept mum about this one.
This silence has once again exposed a painful reality in Nigeria’s narrative landscape: outrage often depends on who the perpetrator is, not on the value of the lives lost.
Ordinarily, the killing of Catholic clergy would spark national outrage. But this time, many of those who typically amplify such tragedies chose silence. The reason is painfully clear: since the perpetrators were not Fulani herdsmen the incident did not fit into the long-maintained narrative of “Christian genocide.”
Some clerics who routinely denounce attacks when they can be linked rightly or wrongly to Fulani herders avoided the subject. Until the burial, No high-profile Christian leaders issued statements.
In recent years, IPOB/ESN elements who are overwhelmingly Christians have carried out hundreds of assassinations, destroyed security formations, attacked civilians, extorted communities, and imposed illegal sit-at-home orders that have crippled the South East economy. Markets, transport systems, schools, farms, and small businesses have been devastated. Many families have been displaced. Yet, the loudest voices in Nigeria’s activist circles, civil society, and religious communities rarely connect these pains to IPOB terrorism. Even if it is glaringly that they committed the crime, they are often labelled as unknown gunmen.
In fact, a recent viral video showed IPOB elements attempting to stage-manage footage to implicate Fulani herders an intentional propaganda move to sustain their preferred narrative.
Meanwhile, evidence shows that extremists and criminals exist in every community Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Tiv, and others. While it is true that some Fulani-linked terrorists and bandit groups have committed horrific killings targeting Muslims, Christians, and people of other ethnic background, this does not justify labeling an entire ethnic group as violent. What Nigeria is witnessing today is not just violence it is a moral crisis.
Some people appear emotionally invested in associating crimes with certain groups. They find satisfaction in tragedy only when it confirms their prejudices. They amplify stories only when they can use them to demonize entire communities. And when the narrative does not fit what they want, they remain silent. This selective empathy not only destroys trust; it fuels hatred and deepens divides.
And when we generalize wrongdoing, when we blame millions for the crimes of a few, when we rejoice because a tragedy fits our bias, we become participants in violence psychologically, morally, and socially.
If Nigeria will ever heal, then our outrage must be consistent, our empathy must be unconditional, and our condemnation must be unbiased. We must mourn victims equally.
We must call out terrorists by their names, not by our preferred narratives. We must reject propaganda designed to pit Nigerians against one another. These values are the foundation of a nation that seeks peace, justice, and unity.
Until we abandon selective outrage, Nigeria will continue to bleed, not just from bullets, but from a poisoned conscience.
Nigeria’s painful silence and selective outrage that fuels division
Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled suspected insurgents and neutralised a suspected informant during operations in Ngamdu area of Borno.
Military sources said the action followed signals intelligence indicating that suspected Boko Haram elements were massing.
At about 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, troops carried out a fire mission on the identified area, forcing the insurgents to disperse and abort their suspected plan.
Shortly afterward, at about 3:45 a.m., troops engaged and neutralised a suspected insurgent informant who attempted to breach the trench defensive position in Ngamdu.
Sources said the troops immediately conducted a search of the surrounding area after the encounter but made no further contact with fleeing suspects.
Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno
Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have disrupted a suspected terrorist gathering and arrested five suspected arms smugglers during separate operations in Yobe State.
Security sources said that at about 6:21 p.m. on Feb. 17, troops conducted a fire mission following credible intelligence that terrorists were converging in large numbers on motorcycles at Mangari, about 10.6 kilometres from the location of the 135 Special Forces Battalion in Buratai.
The swift action forced the insurgents to disperse in disarray, effectively disrupting their suspected plans.
In a separate development, troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Potiskum apprehended five suspected arms smugglers and abductors at about 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 at a checkpoint along the Gombe–Potiskum road.
Those arrested included a 41-year-old suspect, Baba Abare, who was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle, alongside four others identified as Idris Zakari, 33; Nasiru Aliyu, 25; Abdullahi Sulaiman, 35; and Mohammed Idris, 34, all said to be indigenes of Potiskum town.
The suspects were intercepted in two Golf Wagon vehicles bearing registration numbers Borno NGL-506XA and Kaduna DKD16-01.
They were disarmed and handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation.
Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers
News
Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene
Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene
The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Grassroot Movement (BSAGM), has expressed deep dissatisfaction over the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri biased, marginalized conduct of the party ward congress in the state.
Condemning in strong terms the APC ward congress conducted on Wednesday, 18th of February, 2026, the group described the process as witch-hunt of a selected group of stakeholders and leaders in the party.
A statement issued on Thursday by the group’s spokesman, Mr John Peremobowei, condemned the governor’s deliberate segregation of key stakeholders in various wards geared towards generating division.
Some APC stalwarts through their followers have expressed profound dissatisfaction on the social media over segregation and non-inclusion of critical stakeholders who stood firmly as an opposition in building the “Hausa party” in Bayelsa State.
They stated that Governor Douye Diri’s failure to conduct an all inclusive APC congress in various wards across the state; which is his first assignment as party leader after defection, has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that the governor is incapable to manage affairs of the party in the state.
The group said “Governor Diri who could not manage insignificant affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leading to Mr George Turnah factional leadership in Bayelsa, has transferred the same attitude from the PDP to the APC barely four months of defection.
“The governor whose administration and leadership depend, and feed on propaganda, rumours, gossip from subordinates without investigation before making decisions, obviously cannot build, neither maintain the APC–as he couldn’t manage the PDP.
“Senator Diri leadership of division, propaganda to incite leaders against other leaders, can’t build people like he was deliberately built by the likes of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, Chief Timi Alaibe, Senator Seriake Dickson and others.
“Diri is a Supreme Court Governor who has never had grassroot support due to failure to manage people from his days in house of representatives, senate till date as governor, and the Bayelsa APC is in trouble because he can’t build neither maintain a party.”
The group said the governor who was a financier of Atiku-Okowa PDP presidential ticket, and worked so hard against President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, defected to the APC for fear of prosecution by the anti-corruption agencies over misappropriation.
Governor Diri who has been receiving over thirty-four billion naira and above on a monthly basis from the federation account since the inception of President Bola Tinubu administration, was caught by the United States interpol with huge amount of money early 2025.
The group’s spokesman cried out to the APC National Working Committee, President Bola Tinubu for immediate intervention, saying followers/loyalists of the former governor and minister, Chief Timipre Sylva were sidelined in the ward congress in various wards across the state, describing it as witch-hunt.
“Sylva with the support of loyalists brought APC to Bayelsa, and fought so hard to build, and strengthen the party as an opposition, and today, he is unjustly marginalized in the party.
“Despite undeserved exclusion in the party congresses, we the steadfast supporters of Chief Timipre Sylva will stand firm in galvanizing support for President Bola Tinubu re-election.
“We have stood firm in APC even as an opposition in the state, but can’t relent now that it is the ruling party.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, as he did in Rivers, and call Governor Douye Diri to order–as his actions are targeted towards generating division in the party.
Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene
Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno
Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers
Ward Congress: Bayelsa APC Group Condemns Marginalization Of Sylva’s Supporters, Call On Party NWC, Tinubu To Intervene
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