Military Rejects Amnesty’s Claim Of 10,217 Deaths Under Tinubu
The Defence Headquarters on Friday pushed back against a recent report by Amnesty International, accusing the human rights organisation of misrepresenting Nigeria’s security landscape and downplaying the military’s efforts in combating terrorism and banditry.
On Wednesday, Amnesty International accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect citizens from persistent armed group attacks, citing over 10,217 deaths and 672 villages sacked within two years of the Bola Tinubu administration.
According to the report, Benue State recorded the highest number of fatalities with 6,896 people killed, followed by Plateau State with 2,630.
In response to the report, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, described the report as sweeping generalisations and unverified statistics.
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.”
Kangye said that in two years, the Armed Forces have rescued over 1,200 kidnapped civilians, neutralised over 5,000 insurgents and bandits, and recovered more than 350 previously occupied communities.
He said this was enabled by the sustained military presence in flashpoints like Maru (Zamfara), Bokkos (Plateau), and Logo (Benue).
“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.
“There were no mass displacements between 2023 and 2025, contrary to Amnesty’s assertion,” he said.
He also refuted the organisation’s portrayal of security in northwestern states, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Katsina.
Kangye said the military conducted over 2,000 offensive operations in Zamfara alone, resulting in the rescue of 687 abductees, the neutralisation of more than 1,500 terrorists, and the dismantling of numerous 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 military action that led to the killing of 21 bandits and the arrest of 77 suspected collaborators.
On the situation in Benue State, where Amnesty reported 6,896 deaths, Kangye called the figure “humongous and misleading,” asserting that military records show only 693 deaths during the period under review.
“Furthermore, most of the alleged displacement figures are inconsistent with ground realities. Many IDP camps are now largely empty,” he said.
Military Rejects Amnesty’s Claim Of 10,217 Deaths Under Tinubu is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
