Northern Youths Hail Declaration Of Bandits As Terrorists In Nigeria

The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria has commended the declaration of bandits, (Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’ada ) as terrorists by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja following an Ex-parte motion filed by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Justice. Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi however maintained that the declaration of bandits as terrorists by the court would not change anything as it was just for political expediency.

In a ruling, the Abuja court specifically declared the activities of the “Yan Bindiga Group and the Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar groups in any part of the country, especially in the Northwest and Northcentral geopolitical zones as “acts of terrorism and illegality”.

Reacting to the declaration in a statement jointly signed by its president, Comrade Isah Abubakar, and Director-General, Media and Publicity, Samuel Kure, the Northern Youths Council noted that though it almost took the Federal Government forever to act on the calls made by various interest groups in the country, including the Northern Youth Council to declare bandits as terrorists, it was better late than never.

“We will welcome full military operation in North Western and North Central parts of the country as it is happening in North East against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements which have drastically reduced their activities. The Council hereby urge our Armed Forces and other sister security agencies, to arrest and prosecute anybody seen giving the terrorists moral support be it materially, morally or otherwise no matter how highly or lowly placed. The Northern Youths will stand with you in your quest to stamp out terrorism in the North and Nigeria at large,” the youths said.

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has proscribed bandit groups as terrorists.

Specifically, the court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups, constitute acts of terrorism

The ruling followed an ex parte motion the Federal Government filed through the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The motion was moved by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mohammed Abubakar.

FG had in an affidavit it filed in support of the motion, told the court that intelligence reports affirmed that the bandit groups masterminded several killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings and related acts of criminality in the north-east, north-central and other parts of the country.