The Nigerian Federal Government has finally gazetted the Federal High Court, Abuja order which declared bandits as terrorists, after weeks of foot-dragging on the issue.
Spokesperson to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), announced the gazetting of the court judgment that ordered the government to declare bandits as terrorists.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 25, 2021, had granted an ex parte application by the Federal Government for Yan Bindiga (Hausa word for gunmen) and Yan Ta’adda (Hausa word for terrorists) to be declared as terrorists.
But despite the urgency of the banditry which has ravaged most States of Northwest Nigerian and Niger State and parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the issue has been handled with tardiness until Wednesday.
However, the Minister, in an interview on Tuesday, said his office was in the process of gazetting the court judgment, adding that the process would be concluded in a matter of days.
Towards the fulfilment of the Malami’s television announcement, his Spokesperson, Umar Gwandu, on Wednesday, released an official Federal Government Gazette on the court order.
The document titled, ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021’ is contained in Volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette.
It read in part, “Notice is hereby given that by the Order of the Federal High Court Abuja, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2021 dated 25th November, 2021 as per the schedule to this Notice, the Activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar group in Nigeria are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North West and North-Central Regions of Nigeria and are proscribed, pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.
“Consequently the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the groups referred to in paragraph 1 of this Notice will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and liable to prosecution.”