The Federal Government has officially classified all kidnappers and armed criminal groups operating in Nigeria as terrorists, announcing that they will henceforth be treated as such under the country’s security framework.
Minister of Information Idris Mohammed made the declaration on Monday during the end-of-year press briefing in Abuja, marking a significant shift in how the government categorizes and combats criminal elements threatening national security.
The minister emphasized that individuals or groups involved in kidnapping children, attacking farmers or terrorizing communities will no longer be regarded as common criminals but will be designated and prosecuted as terrorists under Nigerian law.
“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,” Mohammed stated. “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.”
The announcement represents a major policy decision that could have significant legal and operational implications for how security agencies pursue, arrest and prosecute criminal elements across the country. The terrorist designation typically carries harsher penalties and broader enforcement powers under Nigerian law.
Mohammed praised the improved coordination between the nation’s security forces, crediting enhanced collaboration for yielding better results in recent operations against criminal networks.
As part of the government’s strategy to secure vulnerable rural areas, the minister announced the deployment of trained and equipped forest guards. According to him, these specialized personnel will combine surveillance, local intelligence and rapid-response capabilities to secure forests and remote locations frequently used as hideouts by criminal groups.
The forest guard initiative is expected to disrupt criminal supply routes, dismantle camps and provide reassurance to farming communities that have been severely affected by insecurity, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions.
Mohammed highlighted recent successes in the government’s security operations, including the capture of Abu Barra, described as one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent and the leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province operating in Nigeria.
“The most internationally wanted criminals, the ISWAP head residing in Nigeria, has been captured through the coordination of all the security agencies and those also in the intelligence community,” the minister said. “Don’t forget that Abu Barra was captured a few months ago, and he was also presented to the public by the National Security Advisor and other security chiefs.”
He emphasized the significance of the arrest, noting that Abu Barra had a substantial bounty placed on him by the United States government.
“This is one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent, and he was captured through the coordination of our security forces. Remember also, this was someone who had a large sum of money put on his head by even the Americans to capture him and bring him to justice,” Mohammed stated.
The minister revealed that Abu Barra and his chief of staff are currently standing trial. “As we speak today, this gentleman, together with his chief of staff, are undergoing and having their day in court, and he is going to get justice that befits them,” he said.
The terrorist designation for kidnappers and armed groups comes amid escalating insecurity across Nigeria, with criminal gangs carrying out mass abductions, attacks on farming communities and violent raids on villages, particularly in the northwest, north-central and parts of the northeast regions.
The policy shift is expected to give security agencies expanded legal authority to combat these groups, including the ability to designate their activities as terrorism-related offenses, which carry longer prison sentences and allow for broader investigative powers.
Human rights organizations and legal experts will likely scrutinize the implementation of this new classification to ensure it is applied appropriately and does not lead to abuse of power or violation of citizens’ rights.
