Nigeria's approach to national security has undergone a fundamental shift with President Bola Tinubu announcing a comprehensive new counterterrorism doctrine. Unveiled on December 21, 2025, the directive dramatically expands the legal definition of terrorism, targeting a wide spectrum of violent actors and their supporters.
A Sweeping Redefinition of Terrorism
In a move set to reshape the nation's security landscape, President Tinubu declared that the government is resetting the national security architecture. The new doctrine is anchored on principles of unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counter-insurgency. The President emphasized that security spending must now deliver tangible results with "clear accountability for outcomes."
The core of the announcement is a broad reclassification. Any armed group or gun-wielding non-state actor operating outside state authority will now be legally treated as a terrorist entity. This explicitly includes bandits, militias, armed gangs, criminal networks with weapons, armed robbers, violent cult groups, forest-based armed collectives, and foreign-linked mercenaries.
The Comprehensive List of 31 Declared Terrorist Entities
The directive provides a detailed, non-exhaustive list of who falls under the new terrorist classification. It moves beyond just those who carry arms to include a vast network of enablers and facilitators.
The list classifies the following as terrorists:
- Armed groups operating outside state authority.
- Individuals wielding lethal weapons without authorisation.
- Bandits.
- Militias.
- Armed gangs.
- Criminal networks with weapons.
- Armed robbers.
- Violent cult groups.
- Forest-based armed collectives.
- Foreign-linked mercenaries.
- Those conducting violence for political objectives.
- Those conducting violence for ethnic objectives.
- Those conducting violence for financial gain.
- Those conducting violence for sectarian reasons.
- Kidnappers of civilians.
- Extortionists targeting communities.
The doctrine casts a wide net over enablers, stating that financiers, money handlers, harbourers, informants, ransom facilitators, and negotiators will all be treated as terrorists. It also names political protectors, intermediaries, transporters of fighters or weapons, arms suppliers, and safe house owners.
In a significant warning to community pillars, the President stated that politicians, traditional rulers, community leaders, and religious leaders who facilitate, encourage, or justify violent actions will be declared terrorists under this new framework.
Implications and Connection to Past Actions
President Tinubu concluded that this new doctrine is designed to protect Nigeria's corporate survival and reduce public anxiety. The government's priority remains strengthening the armed forces and security agencies with personnel and modern hardware.
This announcement builds on previous actions by the Federal Government. In 2024, the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) published a list of 21 individuals and six Bureau de Change (BDC) entities designated as terrorism financiers. That move came after sustained pressure from security experts and civil society for greater transparency in the fight against terrorism.
The new doctrine, therefore, represents both a continuation and a major escalation—shifting from naming financiers to defining the entire ecosystem of terror as a legitimate target for the state's fullest counterterrorism response.
