Dare Babalola
Nigeria has taken a bold step in its fight against insecurity, officially designating kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists in a bid to curb the rising tide of abductions, attacks on farmers, and community violence.
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government during the end-of-year press briefing in Abuja on Monday said the move signals a shift from treating mass kidnappings and rural attacks as ordinary crimes to confronting them under full counterterrorism measures.
“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 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 minister said.
The policy, he said, would facilitate seamless intelligence sharing and amplify operational coordination across security outfits, paving the way for quicker, more effective interventions.
The minister pointed out that enhanced collaboration among agencies has yielded results, citing the capture of two internationally wanted criminals in 2025 through joint operations.
To beef up security in rural areas, Idris unveiled plans to deploy specially trained forest guards, equipped with surveillance tech and local intel, to tackle criminal hideouts in forests and remote spots.
By labeling kidnappers as terrorists, the government is sending a strong message of zero tolerance for abductions and rural violence, and simultaneously broadening security forces’ powers.
The forest guard initiative is expected to disrupt criminal supply routes, dismantle camps, and provide reassurance to farming communities affected by insecurity.
He noted the arrest of the ISWAP head residing in Nigeria, described as one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent, who had a substantial bounty placed on him by the United States.
“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, are undergoing and having their day in court, and he is going to get justice that befits them,” he said.
