THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction led Ahmed Makarfi has condemned the decision by the federal government of Nigeria to swap Boko Haram arrested suspects with 82 of the abducted Chibok School girls.

The 82 of the girls, who were abducted from their school in April 2014, were released on Saturday, May 6 as part of a prisoner swap that saw the release of some Boko Haram suspects held in Nigerian prisons.

Although the exchange was commended by international human rights groups such an Amnesty International, which took part in the negotiation, and BringBackOurGirls, the opposition party said though the release of the girls was good and freeing the terror suspects was bad.

The PDP faction in a statement by Dayo Adeyeye, its spokesperson, said the suspected terrorists by the release have escaped justice; and “all the efforts made by security agencies to bring them to book has come to nothing,” adding that “the negotiations are in clear violation and indeed a direct assault on the generally accepted international principle never to negotiate with terrorists.”

The PDP said further in its statement: “The capture and detention of these girls by the Boko Haram terrorists in the last three years had brought extreme pain and suffering not only to their families but to the people of this country and men and women of goodwill all over the world. “What is, however ,of great concern is the price paid to secure the release of the girls. According to reports, the girls were released in exchange for the release of suspected Boko Haram terrorists. If that is the case, we say it’s a heavy price to pay and an unusual one at that.”

Besides, it said the release of the terror suspects “is a setback for the war on insurgency” and would be tantamount to releasing them to resume their war against society.

—  May 8, 2017 @ 12:15 GMT