Nigeria Officially Labels Kidnappers, Gunmen as ‘Terrorists’

Abuja, Nigeria

The Nigerian government has formally designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as “terrorists,” marking a significant escalation in its military and legal strategy to combat a wave of mass abductions and rural violence. Speaking at a year-end briefing in Abuja on Monday, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris declared that the era of “ambiguous nomenclature” is over, and that any group attacking farmers or schools will now face the full weight of the nation’s counterterrorism laws.

For years, the government and local media often referred to these groups as “bandits” or “gunmen,” a term critics argued downplayed the severity of their actions. The reclassification allows for expanded powers for security forces, stiffer judicial penalties, and more seamless intelligence sharing with international partners. “If you terrorise our people… you are a terrorist,” Minister Idris stated. “There is no name hiding under this again.”

A New Strategy: Forest Guards and Intelligence

To enforce this new status, the government announced two major pillars of its 2026 security plan:

• Deployment of Forest Guards: A new, trained force will be sent into the country’s vast, remote forests—often used as hideouts for kidnap-for-ransom gangs. These guards will focus on surveillance, local intelligence, and rapid-response operations to dismantle criminal camps.
• Targeting Financial Enablers: By using terrorism laws, the government can now more easily track and freeze the assets of those who finance or provide logistical support to these groups.

High-Profile Captures: The ‘Big Fish’

The Minister highlighted recent successes as evidence that improved inter-agency coordination is already working. He confirmed that in 2025, Nigerian security forces captured the head of ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) residing in the country—an individual who had a substantial bounty placed on his head by the United States.

“This is one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent,” Idris said, noting that the leader and his chief of staff are currently undergoing trial. This follows the capture of another high-ranking militant, Abu Barra, earlier this year.

Impact on Food Security

The move is also a desperate attempt to rescue Nigeria’s struggling agricultural sector. Constant attacks on farmers have led to a “food security crisis,” with many rural communities abandoning their land. The government hopes that by clearing forests and reclassifying attackers as terrorists, it can reassure farmers and encourage a return to production in 2026.