The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally classified kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists
The designation was announced on Monday by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, at the federal government’s end-of-year press briefing held in Abuja.
The decision marks a departure from the treatment of mass kidnappings and rural assaults as conventional crimes, placing such acts within the framework of counterterrorism operations.
“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 organisation. The is the declaration that Mr President has made.
“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 said the policy would enhance intelligence sharing and improve operational coordination among security agencies, enabling quicker and more decisive responses.
The minister further noted that stronger inter-agency collaboration is already yielding results, citing the arrest of two internationally wanted criminals in 2025 through joint security operations.
As part of efforts to protect vulnerable rural communities, Mohammed Idris said trained and properly equipped forest guards are being deployed to secure forests and other remote areas frequently used as hideouts by criminal groups, combining surveillance, local intelligence gathering, and rapid-response operations.
The forest guard program is designed to disrupt criminal supply lines, dismantle camps, and offer protection and reassurance to farming communities affected by insecurity.
The minister also highlighted that in 2025, coordinated efforts between security agencies and intelligence services led to the capture of two of the world’s most wanted criminals, underscoring the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration.
“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.
