Military Has No Authority To Grant Amnesty – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has stated that the responsibility of granting amnesty to surrendered terrorists and bandits lies outside the military’s jurisdiction.

Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, made this clarification during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, addressing recent reports that bandit commanders in Katsina State had laid down arms and released hostages in exchange for amnesty.

While acknowledging the surrender as a positive outcome of ongoing kinetic and non-kinetic military efforts, Kangye emphasized that the decision to offer amnesty rests with other government bodies.

“Amnesty is not within the military’s mandate,” he said. “Our role is to operate within our rules of engagement and directives. If individuals surrender or are captured during operations, it is up to the relevant government authorities to assess their cases and determine whether amnesty is appropriate.”

Also present at the briefing, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, addressed concerns about the continued detention of some leaders from the Okuama community in Delta State, despite reports of a court order for their release.

“The Defence Headquarters has not received any such court injunction,” Gusau stated. “If we do, our legal team will review it and advise on the appropriate steps to take.”

He also responded to criticisms over restricted access to the detainees, saying, “No official request has been submitted to DHQ regarding visitation. If one follows the proper procedure, it will be addressed accordingly.”

The community leaders’ arrest followed a deadly ambush on March 14 in Okuama, which claimed the lives of four officers and 13 soldiers during a peacekeeping mission—a tragedy that sparked widespread outrage across the country.

Highlighting recent operational successes, Kangye reported that military forces had neutralized several high-profile terrorist leaders, apprehended 1,191 suspects, and rescued 543 kidnapped individuals in June alone. Additionally, 682 terrorists and their family members surrendered to troops during the period.

Among those eliminated were notorious figures such as Amir Abu Fatimah, Kinging Auta, Abdul Jamilu, Salisu, Mallam Jidda, Maiwada, Mai Dada, and Nwachi Eze, also known as Onowu. Kangye also confirmed that Yellow Danbokkolo, a prominent bandit kingpin, succumbed to injuries sustained during a recent clash with troops.

“In the last quarter, our troops made significant gains, including the arrest of several known gunrunners and kidnappers such as Buhari Umar, Hassan Mohammed, Saleh Sani, and Shittu Muazu Bakassi,” he said.

In the Niger Delta, troops under Operation DELTA SAFE disrupted oil theft activities worth over ₦3.5 billion. Recovered items included over 2.38 million litres of stolen crude oil, more than 600,000 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO), and tens of thousands of litres of other petroleum products.

“Troops uncovered and destroyed 174 illegal refining sites and seized 45 vehicles used in the operations,” Kangye revealed.