How do individuals or groups become labeled as terrorists in Nigeria?

Terrorism is a premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against civilian targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents.  Also, the term "international terrorism" implies terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than one country. The "terrorist group" is any group practicing, or that has significant subgroups that practice, international terrorism.

The United Nations members have a problem agreeing on the definition of terrorism. Instead of focusing on the person or persons committing terrorist acts, the UN focuses on the tools and tactics that terrorists use, such as hijackings, kidnappings, or bombings.

I am yet to see where all these definitions currently match the current activities of Shiites Islamic sect in Nigeria. The group still believes in Nigeria legal System by approaching the Court of law on several occasions to get its leader released. It is important not to push them into taken self-help action. When a democratic government violates its own law through flagrant disobedience of Court order, terrorists use it as propaganda against the government.

I hope the Nigerian government would review its position and deploy diplomatic tools to resolve the ongoing impasse with Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria. Moreover, the designation of foreign and domestic terrorist lies within the purview of the office Attorney-General an ONSA provided the Nigeria anti-terrorism prevention act has not been amended or changed.

Meanwhile, we know terrorism is a "pejorative" term, which implies that different people have a different perspective of the word “terrorism” based on their views. A government can use the word to suppress the voice of opposition or clamp down on resistance moment. Gen. Sani Abacha declared NADECO a terrorist organization in the '90s. Former President Saddam Hussein first declared Kurds minority ethnic group in Iraq a terrorist group and later killed 50,000 of them in Anfal genocide. President Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria maintains those who opposed to his government are terrorists. He labels them as al-Qaida-linked forces, and he ordered chemical weapons be used against them.