Bandit Organizations Prohibited by the Court, Labeled Terrorists

Bandit Organizations Prohibited by the Court, Labeled Terrorists

The activities of the Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups have been declared terrorist acts by a federal high court in Abuja, FastNews reports.

The order was issued by presiding judge Taiwo Taiwo in response to an ex parte motion filed by the federal government.

The director of public prosecution (DPP) at the federal ministry of justice, who filed the ex-parte motion, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for his action, the goal of which is the proscription of the Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups, as well as other terrorist groups in the country.

The federal government stated in its supporting affidavits that security reports confirmed that the bandit groups were responsible for the killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings, and other criminal acts in the northeast, north-central, and other parts of the country.

In its supporting affidavits, the federal government said security reports have confirmed that the bandit groups were responsible for the killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings, and related acts of criminality in the northeast, north-central, and other parts of the country.

It alleged that the group is responsible for the growing cases of “banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and commuters, particularly in the Northwest and Northcentral states of Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and North-central Nigeria.”

“The government added that the activities of the Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups constitute acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria.

In its ruling on Thursday, the court specifically declared the activities of the “Yan Bindiga group”, the “Yan Ta’adda group” and other similar groups in any part of the country, especially in the north-west and the north-central, as “acts of terrorism and illegality”.

The court proscribed the activities of the group as well as other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called.”

The judge also made an order restraining “any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever, in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group under any other name or platform, however, called or described.”.

The court asked the federal government to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.