FG finally designates bandits as terrorists

The Federal Government has declared bandits as terrorists as ordered by a Federal High Court.

According to The Punch, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AFG), Abubakar Malami has finally gazetted the court judgement by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Division of the FHC.

This is contained in a document released by media aide to the AGF, Dr Umar Gwandu on Wednesday.

Titled ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021’, the document is contained in Volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette.

“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 group 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,” it read.

In recent years, activities of bandits have plagued most of the North-West states, with Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto the worst hit.

Some states in the North Central and North East zones of the country have also been affected by the menace.

Hundreds of innocent residents of the states have either been killed or kidnapped by the bandits, with billions paid as ransom.

Miffed by the activities of the bandits, the Federal Ministry of Justice filed an ex parte application before the court on November 25, 2021, seeking a court order to designate them as terrorists.

The court granted the application.

Many Nigerians began to raise eyebrows when, after a month, the bandits had yet to be declared as terrorists as ordered by the court.

However, the AGF said on Tuesday that his office would in a matter of days gazette the court judgement.