The Headquarters of Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Savannah Shield has rejected allegations that troops deserted their duty post and set up illegal extortion checkpoints during a terrorist attack in Kwara State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
The denial follows an online report by Sahara Reporters alleging that soldiers deployed at Yashikara community in Baruten Local Government Area abandoned their post and moved to Chikanda to extort motorists at checkpoints, while failing to respond to a distress call during an attack on the local Emir’s Palace.
But the military said the allegations collapse on a basic factual error, it has no deployment in Yashikara at all.
“JTF OPSS has no deployment in the Yashikara community, which clearly invalidates the claim that troops abandoned or relocated from the area during the incident,” the command said in a statement signed by Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, its Acting Media Information Officer. Troops are stationed only at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Chikanda, it said.
On the attack itself, the military confirmed that terrorists struck the Emir’s Palace in Yashikara in the early hours of May 25, 2026. Troops at FOB Chikanda — located approximately 38.7 kilometres away — received word of the incident at around 1:45 a.m. and immediately mobilised toward the scene.
When soldiers arrived, they found that terrorists had abducted three women and five children. The sitting room of the Emir’s residence and two vehicles on the palace grounds had been set on fire.
The command flatly denied that troops delayed or ignored the distress call, saying they moved “immediately upon receiving information on the attack.”
On the extortion allegations, the military said its personnel “have consistently upheld high standards of professionalism” and have not engaged in any form of motorist extortion.
The statement urged media organisations and the public to verify information through credible channels before publication, warning that unverified reports risk “undermining operational efforts” and damaging troop morale. #Securitynewsalert.com
