Bandits operating in the Northern region of the country have finally been declared as terrorists and insurgent groups by a Nigerian court.
The Office of the Attorney_General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had filed a petition on behalf of the Federal Government to that effect.
Mohammed Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), said that the order to tag the bandits as terrorists was given by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Abubakar added that the decision to declare Yan Bindiga and Tan Ta’adda groups as well as other bandits groups in the country as terrorists is because of their involvement in the killings of security agents.
While ruling in a motion on Thursday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja declared the activities of the groups in the North and the North West as acts of terrorism.
Justice Taiwo noted that he declared the 2 bandits groups as terrorist groups because of their nefarious activities in those parts of the country.
He added that bandits groups operating in other parts of the country have equally been tagged as terrorists and proscribed with immediate effect.
The judge said that he was convinced that such orders were necessary due to the illegal activities of the groups and the effect of their operations on the economy and the populace.
He also barred anyone from from identifying with the groups or their activities under any form or platform.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo thereafter ordered the Federal Government to publish the proscription in the Official Gazette and 2 national newspapers.
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