President Bola Tinubu has unequivocally declared that individuals involved in despicable crimes such as kidnapping must be treated as terrorists. 

The President made this declaration on Tuesday during a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

Reiterating the government’s unwavering resolve to defeat banditry, President Tinubu emphasized that those who engage in kidnapping are cowards, incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces. According to a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the President stated, ”We must treat kidnappers as terrorists.”

The Tinubu government has maintained a firm stance against negotiating with bandits, even as these criminals persist in making kidnapping-for-ransom a lucrative enterprise. Incidents of abduction, particularly of schoolchildren and residents, continue to plague the nation, with the most recent mass abduction being that of 137 schoolchildren from Kuriga in Kaduna State.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria commended President Tinubu for hosting judicial officers to a Ramadan dinner, acknowledging his commitment to judicial reforms and efforts to improve the welfare of judicial officers across the country.