*Says Diplomatic spat’ with US on religious violence resolved
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The Federal Government has officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, marking a major escalation in Nigeria’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers, and community violence.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, during the end-of-year press briefing in Abuja.
The move signals a shift from treating mass kidnappings and rural attacks as ordinary crimes to confronting them under full counterterrorism measures.
“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,” Idris said.
“Now, the era of ambiguous nomenclature is over. If you terrorise our people, whether you are a group or an individual, you are a terrorist and will be classified as such. There is no name to hide under again,” the minister added.
@thenigerialawyer "FG Officially Designates Kidnappers, Violent Armed Groups As Terrorists" — Era Of Ambiguous Nomenclature Over, Minister Idris Declares
He said the policy would strengthen intelligence sharing and operational coordination across security agencies, allowing for faster and more decisive action.
The minister noted that improved inter-agency collaboration has already produced results, adding that in 2025, two of the most internationally wanted criminals were captured through coordinated operations.
In a bid to secure vulnerable rural areas, Idris also announced the deployment of trained and equipped forest guards, explaining that the personnel would combine surveillance, local intelligence, and rapid-response capabilities to secure forests and remote locations often used as hideouts by criminal groups.
By classifying kidnappers as terrorists, the government is signalling zero tolerance for abductions and rural violence, while expanding the powers of security forces.
The forest guard initiative is expected to disrupt criminal supply routes, dismantle camps, and reassure farming communities affected by insecurity.
Idris further disclosed the arrest of the ISWAP leader residing in Nigeria, described as one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent, who had a substantial bounty placed on him by the United States.
“One of the most internationally wanted criminals, the ISWAP leader residing in Nigeria, has been captured through the coordination of all the security agencies and the intelligence community,” he said.
“Don’t forget that Abu Barra was captured a few months ago and was also presented to the public by the National Security Adviser 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 that this was someone who had a large sum of money placed on his head by the Americans to bring him to justice.
“As we speak today, this individual, together with his chief of staff, is undergoing trial and will receive justice that befits their crimes,” he said.
He also said the recent diplomatic dust-up with the United States, in which President Donald Trump threatened military intervention over the alleged killing of Christians, “has been largely resolved.”
“The recent diplomatic spat with the United States has been largely resolved through firm, respectful engagement culminating in a strengthened partnership between America and Nigeria,” the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, said at a year-end news conference in Abuja.
Recall that Trump threatened Nigeria in October and November, saying that Nigerian Christians faced an “existential threat” that amounted to “genocide” amid Nigeria’s myriad armed conflicts.
The diplomatic offensive was welcomed by some but interpreted by others as inflaming religious tensions in Africa’s most populous country, which has seen bouts of sectarian violence in the past.
Nigeria’s government and independent analysts reject framing the country’s violence in terms of religious persecution, a narrative long used by the Christian right in the United States and Europe, as well as Nigerian separatists who maintain a lobbying presence in Washington.
Idris’s comments came after Nigeria hosted a US congressional delegation earlier this month.
However, Nigeria remains on Washington’s list of countries of “particular concern” regarding alleged religious freedom violations.
And last week, Nigeria was among the countries hit by visa and immigration restrictions laid out by the Trump administration.
But there appear to be signs of increasing security cooperation, as analysts have also been tracking an uptick in US reconnaissance flights over known jihadist forest strongholds.
The country’s multiple armed conflicts are complex and kill both Muslim and Christian civilians, often without distinction.
Nigeria faces a long-running jihadist conflict in its northeast, as well as armed “bandit” gangs that loot villages and conduct kidnappings for ransom in the northwest.
In the centre of the country, predominantly Muslim herders and mostly Christian farmers often clash, though the violence is linked to land and resources rather than religion, experts say.
Speaking to reporters, Idris also defended a recent aid deal which will see Washington contribute $2.1 billion, with what the State Department characterised as “a strong emphasis on promoting Christian faith-based health care providers.”
“Every Nigerian is going to be a beneficiary of this arrangement,” Idris said.
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