The Federal Government has officially declared bandits groups as terrorists through an official gazette issued on Wednesday.
This follows a ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which declared the bandit groups terrorists.
The Federal Government had in an affidavit filed in support of an ex parte motion through the Federal Ministry of Justice told the court that intelligence reports proved that the bandit groups masterminded and executed several killings, abductions, and related acts of criminality in different parts of the country.
As a follow-up to the court ruling, the Federal government on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, released an official gazette, dated November 25, 2021, and signed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), proscribing bandit groups in the North as terrorists.
The gazette stated that subsequently, bandits would be prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011.
“Notice is hereby given that by the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2021 dated November 25 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.
“This notice shall be cited as the Terrorism(Prevention) prosecution order Notice, 2021.”
