We lack power to offer terrorists amnesty, says DHQ

We lack power to offer terrorists amnesty, says DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said the military lacks the mandate to offer amnesty to surrendered bandits and terrorists.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen Markus Kangye, made the clarification while addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja.

Recently, there were reports that some bandit commanders in Katsina State were surrendering and releasing hostages in exchange for amnesty.

The military high command said that while the development reflected the success of both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, offering amnesty to bandits is not within the military’s mandate.

Maj.-Gen Kangye said: “Amnesty is not what we do. We are to do our job according to our rules of engagement, according to our operational directives. And if, from the operation conducted, people are arrested and handed over, and an amnesty is to be given to them, it’s not the military that determines that.

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“Their cases will be studied and, based on that merit, the agencies of government responsible for giving amnesty will do that. It is not for the military to determine whether to give amnesty or not. That is not part of our operation.”

Responding to a question on why the military had refused to release the detained leaders of Okuoma community attack, despite a court order, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen Tukur Gusau, who also attended the media briefing, explained that the military had not received a court order on the detainees, despite reports of its issuance.

On March 14, 2024, four officers and 13 soldiers were killed in an ambush in Okuama, a community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, during a peace mission by the military men. The killings attracted wide condemnation among Nigerians. The military, thereafter, stormed the community and arrested alleged perpetrators of the heinous act.

“The DHQ has not received any court injunction in respect of that,” Gusau said.

“If we get it, we have our legal team, which will advise us on the next step to take. But for now, we don’t have such a court injunction served to us.”

When further prodded on why the military would not allow the community members to visit their detained leaders, the defence spokesman said no such request had been made to the military.

“There was no request forwarded to the Defence Headquarters on that,” Gusau said.

“Maybe, perhaps the request is only on the pages of newspapers.

“There is a procedure for everything. If they follow the procedure, we will respond appropriately,” he added.

We lack power to offer terrorists amnesty, says DHQ