Bandits in the country are in trouble as Nigerian Government has finally declared them terrorists following months of foot-dragging.
The declaration is contained in a gazette proscribing their existence and restraining any person or group of persons from participating in activities of bandit groups.
The Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had granted an ex parte application for Yan Bindiga (Hausa word for gunmen) and Yan Ta’adda (Hausa word for terrorists) to be declared as terrorists.
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The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), says the government has gazetted the court judgment.
FG to deploy Super Tucano fighter jets against bandits
Meanwhile, Malami spoke on Tuesday as a guest on NTA Good Morning Nigeria Show, said the Federal Government is ready to deploy Super Tucano fighter jets against bandits and terrorists.
The military had been reluctant to deploy the aircraft outside the North-East because of the conditions attached to the sale of the aircraft by the United States, which was anchored on human rights.
However, the AGF assured Tuesday that the coast was clear for government to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft against bandits in the North-West and North-Central, as they have been declared as terrorists.
He said, “Now, we are confronted with another threat in the North-West associated with banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and in all these, these people are using weapons to attack Nigerians, kidnap them and created a situation of serious security challenge and fear in the system.
“Whatever military hardware you acquire there are limits within the context of the international convention as to how it can be used, when it can be used and against, who it can be used. And that is how the idea of looking at the activities of the bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers come into being.’’
States in the North-West geopolitical zone including Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina have been ravaged by banditry in the last year.
The bandits have murdered hundreds of innocent persons and kidnapped several others for ransom.
