The special military task force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in charge of preserving peace in Plateau and its surroundings. It has dismissed claims that its soldiers shot unarmed civilians during the most recent attacks in Plateau State’s Bokkos Local Government Area.
The operation’s media officer, Maj. Samson Zhakom, refuted the accusation in a statement made in Jos on Monday.
According to the Coalition of Bokkos Ethnic Youth Nationalities, soldiers opened fire on people, making the locals even more vulnerable.
The group said that the security services were unable to stop the recent killings in several local areas, and they demanded the expulsion of the Commander of OPSH Step-Up Headquarters 2 in Bokkos.
The media officer dismissed the claim, saying it was baseless and intended to damage the state’s positive reputation of the military and other security services.
He further pointed out that the group’s assertion that the security forces stationed at Bokkos engaged in combat with vigilantes was petty, maintaining that the staff acted professionally during the incident.
”Security agencies were rather preoccupied with restoring normalcy during the confrontations between different ethnic groups on April 13, 2024.
”Kudos should be given to these troops who remained deployed without break for over 72 hours ensuring that the high grounds and other vulnerable communities were dominated in a bid to protect law-abiding citizens.
”Also, the use of sophisticated weapons by the acclaimed vigilante was further buttressed by the discovery of eleven rounds of 7.62 mm (special) ammunition in the possession of the dead militia contrary to claims that he was a vigilante who was using a Dane gun to protect his community.
”Moreover, the acclaimed vigilante was already dead before the troops arrived in the area, therefore, the allegation of killing of the vigilante is a calculated effort to feign weakness and exonerate the dead vigilante from his participation in the attacks and counter-reprisals,” he said.
Zhakom further said that the call by the group for the removal of its set-up commander in Bokkos was malicious and aimed at dampening the morale of troops in carrying out their lawful duties.
”The call is not unconnected with the increased tempo of operations carried out by troops under the command of the senior officer which has denied criminal elements on both sides of the divide the freedom of action.
”The desperation of the petitioners may have been aggravated by the impartial stance of the commander during the attack which is already given a religious connotation to stir sentiment and instigate spillover to other parts of Plateau.
”It is of utmost importance to stress the risks associated with desperate attempts to galvanise negative public opinion against security agencies taking into account the risks it poses.
”Notwithstanding the deliberate efforts to cast aspersions on our personnel, security agencies will continue to take proactive steps to prevent the breakdown of law and order in our joint operations area,” he said.
He, however, called on residents of the state to support the military and other security agencies in their bid to ensure a peaceful Plateau.
