Nigeria formally declares bandits as terrorists over growing insecurity

*The Federal Government declares that the intelligence reports received indicated the bandit groups masterminded several killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings, and related acts of criminality in the North-East, North-Central, and other parts of the West African country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Sequel to series of earlier requests by the citizenry to tag the individuals and groups fuelling insecurity across the country over time, the Federal Government has formally declared bandit groups operating in Nigeria as terrorists.

ConsumerConnect reports the formal declaration, titled: ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021, is contained in Volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette.

The Federal Government Wednesday, January 5, 2022, published a Gazette proscribing the existence of bandits groups, restraining any person or group of persons from taking part in activities of any of the bandit groups.

The document stated: “Notice is hereby given that by the Order of the Federal High Court Abuja, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2021 dated 25th November, 2021 as per the schedule to this Notice, the Activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar groups in Nigeria are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North-West and North-Central Regions of Nigeria and are proscribed, pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.

“Consequently the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the groups referred to in paragraph 1 of this Notice will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and liable to prosecution.”

The development reportedly came a month after the Federal High Court, in Abuja, FCT, had declared bandits as terrorists, following an ex parte motion the Federal Government filed before it through the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Recall that the Federal Government had approached the court to declare bandits as terrorists October last year, after repeated calls from across the country for them to be so designated to enable security operatives to better combat them.

Individuals, civil society groups, governors, National Assembly (NASS), state legislators, lawyers, and several other interest groups were among those who made calls for bandits to be declared as terrorists in Nigeria.

According to the Federal Government in its ex parte motion, the authorities informed the Federal High Court that that intelligence reports showed that bandit groups masterminded several killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings, and related acts of criminality in the North-East, North-Central, and other parts of the country.

The groups, the Federal Government stated, had engaged in incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities, particularly in the North-West and North-Central states in Nigeria.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, while ruling on the motion November last year, declared bandits as terrorists in the West African country.

The Presiding Judge specifically held that activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups, constitute acts of terrorism against Nigerians.

The Justice also ordered the government to publish the proscription order in the official gazette as well as in two national dailies.

President Buhari vows to deal bandits as terrorists

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to decisively deal with the criminals ravaging the country’s North-West region.

The President, who confirmed that the Federal Government had already taken steps in that direction, disclosed this evening Wednesday, January 5, 2022, in an interview with Channels TV.

Buhari said: “So, I think the only language they understand – we have discussed it thoroughly with the law enforcement agencies; the security chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police – is to go after them: the terrorists.

“We labelled them terrorists; are we are going to deal with them as such.”

According to him, there have been successes in the fight against banditry in the region, noting that he has had a series of meetings with heads of security agencies in a bid to tackle the issues.

He also noted: “I believe if you go to those constituencies in the North West and North Central in the last four weeks there are improvements in the security.”

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