Buhari Govt Officially Declares Bandits As Terrorists, Releases Gazette

The Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has officially declared bandits as terrorists as directed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made this known in a statement issued through his office on Wednesday.

Malami added that the government has gazetted the proscription order and released the gazette to the public for an easy read.

The minister said the gazette proscribing bandits was made on November 25, 2021, but it was unfolded on January 5, 2022, adding that bandits will face trial under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011.

It reads in part: “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 and Activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta`addan Group and other similar groups in Nigeria are declared to be terrorists 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 same 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.”

Naija News reports that the official proscription of bandits follows the minister’s statement that his office is in the process of tagging bandits as terrorists in line with international best practices.

The AGF, while speaking on NTA Good Morning Nigeria Show on Tuesday, had said the process would be concluded in a matter of days.

Recall that Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court on November 26, 2021, directed the federal government to declare Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups as terrorists.