Bandits
Breaking: Court declares bandits terrorists
A Federal High Court in Abuja has proscribed all bandit groups in Nigeria and declared them terrorists.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo who gave the order on Friday held that activities of bandit groups, constituted acts of terrorism.
The Judge further made an order restraining “any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever, in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group under any other name or platform however called or described”.
Justice Taiwo also ordered the federal government to publish the proscription order in its official gazette, as well as in two national dailies.
The Judge’s ruling follows an ex parte motion which was filed by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The Director of Public Prosecution had told the court that, perturbed by the activities of the bandits, President Muhammadu Buhari, had given approval for their proscription and declaration as terrorists groups.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had filed an affidavit in support of the motion.
The minister had told the court that intelligence reports indicated that the bandits were the masterminds of several criminal activities in the country which culminated in wanton loss of lives.
The criminals, according to the federal government, were responsible for several killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings and related acts of criminality in the north-east, north-central and other parts of the country.
Periscope International recalls that there have been calls by people from different quarters for the federal government to declare the bandits terrorists ever since the spike in banditry but the calls were ignored.
