The Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, has rejected as false and misleading claims that its troops provided cover for gunmen who attacked Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Palm Sunday.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Jos, the task force’s Media Information Officer, Capt. Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, described the allegation made by a youth leader in the community and widely circulated online as unfounded and capable of creating unnecessary tension between the military and residents.
“Although the military would ordinarily not respond at a time of grief, it has become necessary to set the record straight for the sake of public understanding,” Oteh said.
He stressed that at no point did troops aid or provide cover for the attackers. On receiving a distress call, soldiers promptly mobilised to the scene, which was some distance from their deployment area. By the time they arrived, the assailants had already fled.
“Troops acted professionally to avert what could have spiralled into further violence and immediately pursued the fleeing criminals,” the statement added.
Oteh disclosed that four gun trucks were deployed to the scene, and the troops’ conduct was corroborated by other security agencies as well as eyewitnesses.
He noted that a thorough investigation into the allegation found it to be completely false.The spokesman warned that such unfounded claims could demoralise troops and damage the relationship between the military and host communities.
He urged members of the public to disregard the viral comment, remain calm and law-abiding, and continue to provide credible intelligence to security agencies.
The military assured that troops, working with other security agencies, are intensifying efforts to track down and apprehend the perpetrators while sustaining operations to maintain peace and security across Plateau State.
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