…as Minister insists diplomatic spat with USA is resolved
In a pivotal shift in its internal security strategy, the Federal Government has officially designated all kidnappers and armed groups terrorizing communities across Nigeria as terrorists.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed the new policy direction on Monday during the Federal Government’s end-of-year press briefing in Abuja.
The declaration marks the end of what officials have termed an era of ambiguous nomenclature and signals the deployment of full counterterrorism protocols against criminal gangs previously treated as conventional bandits.
He stated that the reclassification is an immediate response to the relentless wave of abductions, attacks on farming communities, and the destabilization of rural security.
Addressing journalists, Idris was emphatic that the government would no longer distinguish between bandits and terrorists in its rules of engagement.
“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,” the Minister declared.
He explained that the policy change is designed to remove legal and operational bottlenecks that have previously hampered security agencies.
By applying the terrorist label, the government aims to deploy maximum military force and enhance intelligence coordination to track and neutralize these groups with greater speed and decisiveness.
“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,” Idris warned.
The briefing also addressed the recent friction between Abuja and Washington following controversial remarks by United States President Donald Trump.
In October and November, Trump had threatened potential military intervention, citing allegations of genocide against Christians in Nigeria claims that placed Nigeria under intense international scrutiny.
Idris announced that the diplomatic standoff has been largely resolved following high-level engagements between both nations.
“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 noted.
Despite the resolution, challenges remain. Nigeria continues to feature on the US State Department’s list of countries of particular concern regarding religious freedom.
Nigeris was also recently included in a new set of visa and immigration restrictions introduced by the Trump administration last week, a move that continues to generate concern within diplomatic circles.
Security analysts view the government’s declaration as a significant escalation. The reclassification is expected to grant the military broader powers under the Terrorism Prevention Act, allowing for the confiscation of assets linked to banditry and the prosecution of sponsors under terrorism financing laws.
As the year draws to a close, the Federal Government maintains that this hardened stance is critical to restoring order and ensuring that the coming year witnesses a decisive turnaround in the nation’s security fortunes.
