JTF-OPEP says Plateau encounter with police was no clash

By: Tunji Okunlola

The military task force in Plateau State has dismissed reports of a clash between its troops and police personnel in Bassa Local Government Area, saying the encounter was misread.

In a statement issued in Jos on Monday, the media officer of Operation Enduring Peace (JTF-OPEP), Capt. Polycarp Oteh, said troops were responding to a distress call and not blocking the police from pursuing suspects.

Videos and photographs purporting to show a confrontation between soldiers and police circulated widely on social media in recent days. Some posts alleged that troops had stopped police officers from going after criminals in the area, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Oteh said troops from the force’s Sector 3 were called out on October 20 after reports of sporadic gunfire in Mai Farin Moto, Maraban Dere and neighbouring communities, along with reports of the suspected killing of a resident, Adamu Suleiman. He said the troops went to assess the situation, establish what had happened, prevent escalation and protect lives and property.

On arrival, he said, the soldiers tried to engage the police personnel working in the area to clarify matters and coordinate a response. He described the interaction as marked by a lack of cooperation from some personnel, despite efforts to calm tensions and maintain discipline.

Oteh stressed that the troops acted on an operational distress call in the interest of public safety. He said JTF-OPEP remains committed to impartiality and professionalism, and that its effectiveness as a joint security arrangement depends on coordination, mutual respect, established procedures and unity of effort. He added that issues arising from the incident are being handled through command and inter-agency channels to establish the facts, sustain cohesion and prevent a recurrence.

He urged the public and journalists to verify information before publishing it, saying this would protect credibility and professionalism. He also assured Plateau residents of the force’s resolve to maintain law and order, protect innocent people and consolidate peace across its area of operation.

(NAN)