A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Abdulrahoof Bello, has criticised the Federal Government for failing to classify bandits as terrorists in Nigerian law, calling it a major challenge in the fight against insecurity.
Reports that Bello spoke on Wednesday while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
Bello said the terror label widely used in public discourse has not been backed by legislation, leaving security operatives unable to fully treat bandits under anti-terror operations.
“I’m not aware of any law enacted by the National Assembly declaring bandits as terrorists, and that gap makes it difficult to treat them as such,” Bello said during the live interview.
He described the situation as a major lacuna, insisting that it slows strong security action and provides cover for bandits to continue negotiating with communities and leaving affected areas without arrest.
Asked for his position on long-term solutions, he did not hold back, linking insecurity to governance structure.
“The solution to insecurity in Nigeria is to go back to the factory setting, regionalism,” Bello said.
He called for constitutional amendments and a return to the regional system, stating that decentralised administration would allow states and regions to respond faster, manage security autonomously, and reduce the current bottlenecks in federal security coordination.
Bello urged citizens to stay informed through official communication and back movements for governance restructuring, he believes can “reset Nigeria to its original base for security, growth and prosperity.”
