The Federal Government (FG) has formally classified kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, a move that significantly toughens Nigeria’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers, and community violence.
The announcement was made on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, during the end-of-year press briefing, marking a clear departure from treating mass kidnappings and rural attacks as conventional criminal offences.
According to Idris, the new designation brings such crimes fully under Nigeria’s counterterrorism framework, allowing security agencies to act more swiftly and decisively.
“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 terrorise 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 minister said.
He explained that the policy shift would deepen intelligence sharing and operational cooperation among security agencies, improving response time and effectiveness in tackling violent groups.
Idris noted that enhanced inter-agency collaboration has already yielded concrete results, revealing that two of the world’s most wanted criminals were arrested in 2025 through coordinated security operations.
To further secure rural and hard-to-reach areas, the minister announced the deployment of trained forest guards.
He said the guards would be equipped to combine surveillance, local intelligence gathering, and rapid-response operations, particularly in forests and remote zones frequently used as criminal hideouts.
By designating kidnappers as terrorists, the government is signalling zero tolerance for abductions and rural violence, while expanding the operational scope of security forces. The forest guard programme, he added, is expected to disrupt criminal supply routes, dismantle camps, and restore confidence among farming communities grappling with insecurity.
Idris also referenced the recent arrest of a senior ISWAP figure living in Nigeria, described as one of Africa’s most wanted terrorists.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“As we speak today, this gentleman, together with his chief of staff, is undergoing and having their day in court, and he is going to get justice that befits them,” he said.
The government believes the new approach will strengthen national security efforts and bring lasting relief to communities affected by persistent violence.
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