By Attah Ede
The Federal Government has officially l designated kidnappers and violent armed groups unleashing mayhem on communities as terrorists.
This is a major federal government’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers, and communities in Nigeria.
The minister of Information Mohammed Idris made this know during the end-of-year press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.
This 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.
He noted that the new approach would enhance intelligence sharing and improve operational coordination among security agencies, enabling quicker and more decisive action against perpetrators of violence.
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
The minister also spoke on Nigeria’s recent diplomatic tensions with the United States following comments by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened military intervention over allegations of killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Idris said the disagreement had been largely resolved through diplomatic engagement.
“The recent diplomatic spat with the United States has been largely resolved through a firm, respectful engagement culminating in a strengthened partnership between America and Nigeria,” he said.
Trump had, in October and November, claimed that Nigerian Christians faced an “existential threat” and described the situation as “genocide” amid the country’s multiple security crises.
While the remarks drew mixed reactions, with some welcoming international attention and others warning against inflaming religious tensions, Nigeria remains on Washington’s list of countries of “particular concern” over alleged religious freedom violations.
Last week, Nigeria was also among several countries affected by new visa and immigration restrictions announced by the Trump administration.
