The Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation ENDURING PEACE, has formally refuted allegations that its personnel provided cover for gunmen during a recent unprovoked attack on the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area.
The military’s statement comes in response to a viral social media comment made by a local youth leader, who claimed that troops facilitated the “Palm Sunday” assault that resulted in the deaths of several residents.
In a press release issued Tuesday, seen by Securitynewsalert.com, Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, the Media Information Officer for the JTF, described the allegations as “false, misleading, and unfortunate.”
According to the military’s account of the incident, troops mobilised four gun trucks immediately upon receiving a distress call. While the JTF acknowledged that the attack occurred a significant distance from their primary deployment point, they maintained that personnel arrived as quickly as possible.
By the time of their arrival, the perpetrators had already fled, prompting a pursuit by the soldiers. The Army asserts that its intervention was professional and aimed at preventing further bloodshed, a claim they say is corroborated by eye-witness accounts and other security agencies.
“At no point did troops provide any form of cover for the terrorist elements. Rather, troops acted professionally to avert what could have spiralled into endless bloodshed and pursued the fleeing criminals,” the statement read.
The JTF confirmed that an internal investigation was launched immediately following the youth leader’s public comments, concluding that the claims were entirely without merit.
The military warned that such rhetoric has the potential to demoralise personnel on the front lines and create unnecessary friction between the military and the host communities they are tasked to protect.
Operation ENDURING PEACE has assured the public that new strategies are being implemented to track down and apprehend those responsible for the Palm Sunday killings.
The Army urged residents of Plateau State to remain calm and law-abiding, emphasising the importance of providing “credible and actionable information” to assist in the ongoing fight against criminal elements in the region. #Securitynewsalert.com
