Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris
Abuja, Nigeria - The Federal Government has formally declared kidnappers and armed bandits as terrorists, signalling a significant escalation in its strategy to confront widespread insecurity across the country. The announcement was made on Monday by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, at the government’s end-of-year press briefing in Abuja.
According to the minister, the classification marks a departure from treating mass kidnappings and violent rural attacks as ordinary crimes, bringing them firmly within the scope of counter-terrorism law. Under the new policy, any individual or group responsible for abducting citizens, attacking farming communities, or inflicting terror on local populations will be regarded and prosecuted as terrorists.
Mr Idris emphasised that the decision reflects a growing recognition of the severity of these crimes and the need for a more robust legal and security framework to protect vulnerable communities. He noted that enhanced coordination among security agencies will be a key element of the government’s approach, aimed at improving intelligence sharing and operational effectiveness.
As part of the strengthened response, the government has also announced plans to deploy specially trained forest guards to remote and forested areas, where criminal elements often find refuge. These units will combine local intelligence, surveillance, and rapid-response capabilities to disrupt criminal networks and safeguard rural communities.
The decision comes amid ongoing national concerns about a persistent wave of abductions, attacks on schools and villages, and broader rural insecurity that have heightened public anxiety and drawn widespread criticism of previous security measures.
Senate figures have also recently advocated for tougher legal sanctions against kidnappers, including proposals to amend existing counter-terrorism laws to impose harsher penalties on offenders.
Education authorities in several states have already taken precautionary steps by temporarily closing schools in response to recent abduction incidents, underscoring the complex and evolving nature of the security challenge facing the country.
Legal experts and civil society observers say the terrorist designation could broaden the powers available to security forces and reshape Nigeria’s overall security architecture, but they emphasise the importance of upholding due process and human rights standards as the policy is implemented.
Source: Punch Newspapers
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