Federal Government has officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, made the declaration during an end-of-year press briefing in Abuja, saying the new policy eliminates ambiguity in the classification of violent groups.
“Henceforth, any armed group or individual that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, and terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist. Now, the era of ambiguous nomenclature is over. If you terrorize our people, whether you are a group or you are an individual, you are a terrorist and will be classified as such. There is no name hiding under this again,” Idris stated.
He explained that the designation would enhance intelligence sharing and operational coordination across security agencies, enabling faster and more decisive action against perpetrators.
The minister also announced the deployment of trained and equipped forest guards to rural areas. These personnel, he said, will combine surveillance, local intelligence, and rapid-response capabilities to secure forests and remote locations often used as hideouts by criminal groups.
The government’s move comes amid rising concerns over kidnappings and banditry across several states, with officials insisting that tougher measures are necessary to restore peace and security nationwide.
