The Federal Government has officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, marking a significant escalation in Nigeria’s response to widespread abductions, attacks on farmers, and rural community violence.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, during the Federal Government’s end-of-year press briefing in Abuja.
The new designation represents a major policy shift, as authorities will now treat mass kidnappings and coordinated rural attacks under Nigeria’s counterterrorism framework rather than as conventional criminal offences.
“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,” Idris stated.
The government said the move will allow security agencies to deploy broader counterterrorism tools, including stricter prosecution, enhanced intelligence operations, and tougher penalties for offenders.