The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made it clear that the Nigerian military does not have the mandate to grant amnesty to terrorists or bandits who surrender.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen Markus Kangye, addressed recent reports of bandit commanders in Katsina State laying down their arms and releasing hostages in exchange for amnesty. He noted that while such developments highlight the success of ongoing military operations—both combat and dialogue-based—decisions on amnesty rest entirely with other arms of government.

“Amnesty is not what we do,” Kangye firmly stated. “Our job is strictly guided by our rules of engagement and operational directives. If suspects are arrested during operations and an amnesty is to be considered, it is up to the appropriate government agencies to handle that. The military does not decide on such matters.”

Kangye’s remarks come amid growing public interest and debate over the fate of surrendered insurgents and how best to integrate them into society.

Meanwhile, addressing questions about the continued detention of community leaders from Okuama in Delta State, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen Tukur Gusau, clarified that the military had not received any official court order mandating their release.

It will be recalled that on March 14, four officers and 13 soldiers were ambushed and killed during a peace mission to Okuama, a tragedy that sparked outrage nationwide and led to intensified military operations in the area, resulting in multiple arrests.

“The DHQ has not received any court injunction in respect of that,” Gusau explained. “If we do receive one, our legal team will advise us on the next steps. But as of now, nothing has been served to us.”

Responding to why family members have not been allowed to visit the detained community leaders, Gusau said no formal request had been submitted.

“There’s a procedure for everything. If the proper process is followed, we will respond appropriately. Perhaps the requests people talk about only exist on the pages of newspapers,” he added.

As the military continues its operations against insurgency and banditry, the DHQ reiterated its commitment to upholding the law and working strictly within its constitutional mandate.