By Nkechi Eze
The Operation Enduring Peace has dismissed as false and misleading a viral allegation circulating on social media claiming that troops provided cover for the perpetrators of the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area.
The clarification followed comments attributed to a youth leader from Angwan Rukuba community, which alleged that security personnel shielded the attackers responsible for the unprovoked assault that claimed the lives of several residents.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Captain Chinonso Oteh, the military described the claim as unfounded, stressing that troops responded promptly to the distress call and acted professionally in an effort to prevent further bloodshed.
According to the task force, troops immediately mobilised to the scene of the attack upon receiving the alert, although the location was far from their initial deployment point. By the time security personnel arrived, the attackers had already fled the area.
The statement explained that four gun trucks were dispatched to the community to reinforce security and pursue the fleeing criminals. Troops reportedly carried out the operation in coordination with other security agencies, a development confirmed by eyewitnesses and survivors present at the scene.
Operation Enduring Peace emphasised that the allegation against the troops was promptly investigated and found to be false. The task force warned that such claims could undermine the morale of security personnel and create unnecessary tension between the military and host communities.
The military therefore urged members of the public to disregard the viral comment and avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing panic or misunderstanding.
It further called on residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and continue to support security agencies with credible and actionable intelligence to aid ongoing operations against criminal elements in the state.
The Joint Task Force assured that troops, working alongside other security agencies, have adopted effective strategies to track down and apprehend those responsible for the attack and reiterated their commitment to dealing decisively with criminal elements while maintaining peace across Plateau State.
