The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially released its official gazette proscribing bandit groups in Nigeria as terrorists.

This was contained in volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigerian official Gazette titled, Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021”.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), gazetted a court judgement that ordered the government to declare bandits as terrorists.

States in the North-West geopolitical zone including Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna have been ravaged by banditry in the last year. The nefarious activities of the marauders have also spilt into the North Central and other zones in the country. The bandits have killed hundreds of innocent persons, kidnapped several others including schoolchildren, with some still in their custody, while some are nursing injuries sustained during the attacks.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 25, 2021, had granted an ex parte application by the Federal Government for Yan Bindiga (Hausa word for gunmen) and Yan Ta’adda (Hausa word for terrorists) to be declared as terrorists.

In an ex-parte motion brought before justice Taiwo of the federal high court in October 2021, by the Federal government through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, the FG sought the court to declare bandits groups as terrorists among others.

They sought among other reliefs the following;

“An order of this honourable court declaring the activities of the 1st and 2nd respondent and other similar groups in any part of Nigeria especially in the northwest and north-central regions of Nigeria as acts of terrorism and illegality.”

“An order of this honourable court proscribing all other groups in Nigeria by whatever name they are called with similar objective as the first and second respondent which include but not limited to banditry, kidnapping for ramson, kidnapping for marriage, mass abduction of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attack and killings in communities and other commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties  in Nigeria.”

In his ruling, Justice Taiwo declared the groups as terrorist groups and directed that proscription be published in the official gazette of the Federal Government, as well as two national dailies.

In a copy of the court order, the judge granted all the reliefs sought by the federal government of Nigeria and proscribed the bandits terrorist.

However, the AGF, in an interview on Tuesday, said his office was in the process of gazetting the court judgement, adding that the process would be concluded in a matter of days.

Also, a document released by Malami’s spokesman, Umar Gwandu, on Wednesday, showed that the AGF office had gazetted the court order.

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

It read 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, the Activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar groups 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, according 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.”