From Victor Osula, Abuja
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declared that the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups were acts of terrorism.
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, the DPP 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 also accused the group of cases of banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment.
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 were other allegations brought against the bandits
Reacting, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN said the Federal Government’s determination to crush banditry remains unwavering now that the Court has granted application filed by his Office declaring bandits groups as terrorist organisations.
According to Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice the declaration is a demonstration of the determination of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and indeed the Federal Government in doing things in accordance with the rule of law.
“The development is a pointer to the commitment of the Federal Government to adhere to the international standards in respecting the rules of engagement in the fight against terrorism, separatists organisations, insurgency and banditry in the country,” he said.
He said by this declaration the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken bold steps to deal ruthlessly with all terrorists groups and their sponsors in efforts to bring lasting solution to the myriad of insecurity challenges in the country.
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in collaboration with relevant government agencies including security operatives are working assiduously to do the needful to take full advantage of this declaration.
The government will gazette, publish the publicise the proscription order.
