Wayne Lumbasi
Nigeria’s Federal Government has formally designated kidnappers, bandits, and violent armed groups operating across the country as terrorist organisations, marking a decisive shift in the state’s approach to internal security.
The announcement was made in Abuja during an end of year briefing by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who said the new classification reflects the scale and brutality of violence inflicted on communities nationwide.
According to the government, the designation ends years of what was described as ambiguous nomenclature, where groups responsible for mass kidnappings, attacks on villages, and killings of civilians were often referred to merely as criminals or bandits. Authorities argue that the nature of these acts, including school abductions, coordinated assaults on rural communities, and the use of forests as operational bases, meets the legal and moral threshold of terrorism.
The new stance means that individuals and groups involved in kidnapping for ransom, armed raids, and sustained violence against civilians will now be treated under Nigeria’s counter terrorism framework rather than solely through conventional criminal law.
The shift is expected to allow security agencies to deploy broader intelligence, surveillance, and enforcement tools, while improving coordination among the military, police, and intelligence services.
The move comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity affecting large parts of the country, particularly in the northwest and north central regions, where kidnappings have disrupted farming, education, and local economies. In recent years, armed groups have carried out mass abductions of students, attacked major highways, and overrun rural settlements, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
As part of the new approach, the federal authorities also announced plans to strengthen security in forests and remote areas that have become hideouts for armed groups. This includes the deployment of specially trained forest guards and enhanced aerial surveillance to deny violent groups safe havens and disrupt their supply routes.
The designation is intended to send a strong signal that acts of kidnapping, intimidation, and mass violence will no longer be treated as ordinary crimes. The policy aims to restore public safety, deter further attacks, and reinforce a unified national response to the security threats facing communities across Nigeria.
INSECURITY IN NIGERIA
NIGERIA SEEKS FRENCH SUPPORT AS INSECURITY DEEPENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
NIGERIA SECURES RELEASE OF 100 KIDNAPPED STUDENTS, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR OTHERS STILL MISSING
