…says No hiding place for terrorists in the nation”s forests
The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally classified kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, a move that represents a significant escalation in the country’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers, and violence targeting local communities.
The designation was announced on Monday by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, at the federal government’s end-of-year press briefing held in Abuja.
The decision marks a departure from the treatment of mass kidnappings and rural assaults as conventional crimes, placing such acts within the framework of counterterrorism operations.
“Henceforth, any armed group or individual that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, and terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist organisation. The is the declaration that Mr President has made.
“Now, the era of ambiguous nomenclature is over. If you terrorise our people, whether you are a group or you are an individual, you are a terrorist and will be classified as such. There is no name hiding under this again,” the minister said.
Henceforth, any armed group or individual that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, and terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist.
– Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information & National Orientation#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/wHpAk1r7zT
— Channels Television (@channelstv) December 22, 2025
He said the policy would enhance intelligence sharing and improve operational coordination among security agencies, enabling quicker and more decisive responses.
The minister further noted that stronger inter-agency collaboration is already yielding results, citing the arrest of two internationally wanted criminals in 2025 through joint security operations.
As part of efforts to protect vulnerable rural communities, Mohammed Idris said trained and properly equipped forest guards are being deployed to secure forests and other remote areas frequently used as hideouts by criminal groups, combining surveillance, local intelligence gathering, and rapid-response operations.
The forest guard program is designed to disrupt criminal supply lines, dismantle camps, and offer protection and reassurance to farming communities affected by insecurity.
The minister also highlighted that in 2025, coordinated efforts between security agencies and intelligence services led to the capture of two of the world’s most wanted criminals, underscoring the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration.
“The most internationally wanted criminals, the ISWAP head residing in Nigeria, has been captured through the coordination of all the security agencies and those also in the intelligence community.
“Don’t forget that Abu Barra was captured a few months ago, and he was also presented to the public by the National Security Advisor and other security chiefs.
“This is one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent, and he was captured through the coordination of our security forces.
“Remember also, this was someone who had a large sum of money put on his head by even the Americans to capture him and bring him to justice.
“As we speak today, this gentleman, together with his chief of staff, is undergoing and having their day in court, and he is going to get justice that befits them,” he said.
In 2025, two of the most internationally wanted criminals were captured through the coordination of our security agencies and those in the intelligence community.
– Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information & National Orientation#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/jzWQzDsxQm
Security: No hiding place for terrorists in our forests – Nigerian govt
Meanwhile, the federal government has said there would be no hiding place for terrorists and criminal elements in the nation’s forests.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this statement during an end-of-the-year press briefing on Monday in Abuja.
He was reacting to the fight against insecurity by the Federal Government.
“In the area of security in 2025, we saw the presidential declaration of a nationwide security emergency that will in the months ahead translate into massive recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Police Force.
“This also includes the deployment of trained and equipped forest guards that will be deployed to secure our forests and other vulnerable locations.
“What we used to have in the past is that there are dark forces within our forest that are largely unmanned and have created a safe haven for these terrorists and bandits.
“With this kind of recruitment and this declaration by Mr president, there will be no hiding place for terrorists and criminals in our forests,” he said
