The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Friday declared proscribed bandit groups as terrorists, taking Nigeria’s fight against banditry in the country to the next level.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in his ruling, declared that the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups were acts of terrorism.
There have been strident calls for the Nigerian government to declare bandits who now roam the length and breadth of the country, killing and maiming, and kidnapping, as terrorists .
Friday’s ruling came on an ex parte motion filed by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mohammed Abubakar, moved the motion for on behalf of the government.
In an affidavit sworn by the government in support of the motion, it informed the court that intelligence reports had indicated that the bandit groups were behind several killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings and related acts of criminality in the north-east, north-central, and other parts of the country.
The government alleged that the groups were similarly responsible for the growing cases of banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment.
Other atrocities attributed to the groups included deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and commuters, and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and Northcentral states in Nigeria.
“The activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups constitute acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria,” the government added.
According to the DPP, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been disturbed by the activities of these groups, gave approval for their designation as terrorist groups.
Justice Taiwo subsequently granted the motions as prayed by declaring the activities of the “Yan Bindiga group, the Yan Ta’adda group and other similar groups in any part of the country, especially in the north-west and the north-central as acts of terrorism and illegality.
By this ruling, the court outlawed the activities of the groups and similar groups in any part of Nigeria, “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called.”
The court further gave 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.”
To give effect to the ruling, Justice Taiwo ordered FG to publish the proscription order in the official gazette as well as in two national dailies.
