The Defence Headquarters has strongly criticised a recent report by Amnesty International, describing it as lacking contextual depth and failing to acknowledge the significant achievements of the Nigerian Armed Forces in combating insecurity across the country.
Amnesty International had, in a report on Wednesday, raised the alarm over what it describes as the Nigerian government’s failure to protect citizens from relentless attacks by armed groups and bandits.
The human rights organisation added that at least 10,217 people have been killed and 672 villages sacked in the past two years, noting that Benue State recorded the highest number of deaths with 6,896 people killed, followed by Plateau State with 2,630 deaths.
The DHQ, in a rebuttal on Friday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, expressed concern over what it called “sweeping generalisations” and “unverified statistics” in Amnesty’s report.
Kangye said that while it respects the role of civil society in promoting accountability, the report disregards the asymmetric nature of the threats facing the country and the complex socio-political context within which the Armed Forces operate.
He said, “While we acknowledge the importance of civil society in promoting accountability and human rights, we must express strong reservations about the sweeping generalisations, lack of contextual depth, and the failure of the statement to recognise the monumental strides made by the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the current administration.
“The statement paints a bleak and generalised picture of national insecurity, largely ignoring the asymmetric and evolving nature of modern threats, especially those rooted in decades of socio-political and economic complexities. While there are undeniable challenges in specific regions, DHQ.”
According to him, since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the military has recorded several operational milestones.
These, he said, include the neutralisation of over 5,000 insurgents and bandits, the recovery of more than 350 communities previously under terrorist control, and the rescue of over 1,200 kidnapped civilians.
“The sustained presence of troops in areas such as Maru (Zamfara), Bokkos (Plateau), and Logo (Benue) has enabled displaced persons to begin returning home under military protection.
“Rescue Operations and Hostage Recovery. In partnership with local intelligence networks, the military successfully rescued over 1,200 abducted civilians, including women and children, many of whom were kidnapped in mass abduction incidents
“Several notorious kidnapping syndicates have been dismantled, and recovery of illegal weapons caches continues weekly,” he added.
Reacting to Amnesty’s claim that 2,630 people were killed and 167 communities displaced in Plateau State in the last two years, Kangye described the data as “a concoction of falsehood.”
“The state witnessed improvements in security following a reorganisation of deployments and intensified operations since July 2023. There were no mass displacements between 2023 and 2025, contrary to Amnesty’s assertion,” he maintained.
He also dismissed as exaggerated Amnesty’s reports on the Northwest, particularly in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Katsina States.
“In Zamfara alone, the military reported over 2,000 offensive operations in two years, leading to the rescue of 687 abductees, the neutralisation of over 1,500 terrorists, and the destruction of bandit enclaves.
“Contrary to claims, areas such as Bafarawa and Gebe in Sokoto are within reach of military Forward Operating Bases, and joint operations have cleared bandit strongholds,” the statement added.
In Katsina, Kangye cited a recent operation in which 21 bandits were neutralised, and 77 collaborators arrested, adding that troops have been engaging communities through patrols, civil-military engagements, and intelligence-sharing.
He also contested the claim that 6,896 people were killed in Benue State, calling it “humongous and misleading.”
“Our records show 693 deaths in Benue during the review period, not 6,896. Furthermore, most of the alleged displacement figures are inconsistent with ground realities. Many IDP camps are now largely empty,” the statement said.
