Declare Bandits As ‘Terrorists’ To Save Nigeria – Legal Practitioner Tells NASS

By Tgnews Reporter

‎In a fervent call amid escalating insecurity across Nigeria, legal practitioner Barrister Ekim Udim has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to promptly declare bandits as terrorists, arguing that such a designation is essential to enable proper prosecution and stem the tide of violence engulfing the nation.

‎Barrister Udim, speaking on Channels Television, emphasized that the term “banditry” holds no place in Nigeria’s criminal justice system. “There is nothing known as banditry under the Nigerian legal system…

The law does not know anyone with the description bandits. It’s either you’re a criminal or you’re not,” he stated. He described the label as a recent invention, possibly from previous administrations, to sidestep the more severe implications of terrorism charges.

This ambiguity, he argued, prevents effective trials, as no legal provisions exist for charging individuals with banditry in federal or state courts.

‎The legal expert highlighted the dire security situation, noting that armed groups—often armed with AK-47s—are encircling communities in the north, north-central, and even southern regions, committing murders, sacking villages, and causing daily havoc.

“The country is encircled as we speak. There is no two days that pass without us hearing stories of people being murdered here, communities being sacked,” Udim said, stressing the need to abandon “political correctness” and label these perpetrators as terrorists to align with existing laws.

‎Udim’s plea comes against a backdrop of intensified national discourse on insecurity. Just days ago, President Bola Tinubu warned bandits and terrorists that the “full weight of the law” awaits them, vowing not to surrender any territory to such groups.

This statement followed reports of bandits operating as an “alternative government” under the current administration, as criticized by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

‎In the Senate, lawmakers engaged in heated debates over the rising threats from terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, calling for decisive actions including a review of firearms laws and the potential imposition of the death penalty for kidnappers. Some senators advocated for arming citizens for self-defense, underscoring the perceived failures in security operations.

‎Udim drew parallels to past delays, such as the hesitation in designating Boko Haram as terrorists, which he said allowed chaos to fester.

He dismissed justifications for violence based on grievances like marginalization or historical ethnic amalgamations, asserting that taking up arms to destroy societies is indefensible under the law.

“If the National Assembly now considers it necessary to ensure that they are described the proper way, I think that is very good for Nigeria. It will end the circle of confusion,” he added.

‎However, not all voices align with this push. An APC chieftain recently argued that bandits should be treated as jihadists rather than terrorists, claiming federal government constraints prevent such a designation. Amid these debates, reports of foreign nationals involved in banditry have surfaced, prompting President Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency and order military and police reinforcements.

‎Security experts have also weighed in, emphasizing Nigeria’s vulnerability and calling for a reevaluation of police deployments from VIPs to frontline duties.