A federal high court in Abuja has declared the activities of the “Yan Bindiga and the Yan Ta’adda, two leading bandit groups operating in Nigeria’s northwest and northcentral states, acts of terrorism and illegality.

Taiwo Taiwo, the presiding judge, made this order on Thursday, following an ex-parte motion filed by the federal government, through Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, according to The Cable.

The federal government’s security reports have confirmed that the two bandit groups are responsible for killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings and related acts of criminality in the northeast, north-central and other parts of Nigeria.

“The activities of 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,” he said.

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“Any person or group of persons are restrained 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 also asked the federal government to publish a proscription order in the official gazette and two national newspapers.