The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, says President Muhammadu Buhari is following due process in declaring marauding bandits as terrorists.

“We are not declaring them terrorists because there is a procedure for doing that.

“When the procedure is followed, they will be classified as terrorists. We are waiting for the procedure to be completed,” the minister said.

Mr Magashi, who stated this on Friday in Maiduguri, was fielding questions from journalists on why the federal government has been very reluctant to categorise bandits as terrorists.

The minister was in Maiduguri with the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor and Service Chiefs on an assessment visit of the fight against insurgency in the North-East.

He said his team met with the theatre commander and other component commanders to deliberate on the next phase of operations, including what needs enhancing.

(NAN)