Nigerian Army troops
Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central) Operation Savannah Shield (OPSS) has denied allegations that its troops abandoned their duty post and engaged in extortion in Chikanda area of Kwara State following the May 25 attack on the Emir’s Palace in Yashikara community, Baruten Local Government Area.
The military was reacting to an online report by Sahara Reporters which claimed that soldiers failed to respond to distress calls during the attack and had relocated to Chikanda where they allegedly mounted checkpoints to extort motorists.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Acting Media Information Officer of OPSS, Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, described the report as false and misleading.
According to him, OPSS has no deployment in Yashikara community, making it impossible for troops to have abandoned or relocated from the area as alleged.
He said troops are stationed only at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Chikanda.
“JTF OPSS has no deployment in Yashikara community, which clearly invalidates the claim that troops abandoned or relocated from the area during the incident,” the statement said.
The task force also denied allegations that its personnel extort motorists, insisting that troops operating under the mission have remained professional in the discharge of their duties.
On the attack on the Emir’s Palace, Yahaya said troops at FOB Chikanda received information about the incident at about 1:45 a.m. on May 25 and immediately moved to the community.
He said the base is located about 38.7 kilometres from the scene of the attack.
According to the statement, troops found that three women and five children had been abducted, while the sitting room of the Emir’s residence and two vehicles within the palace premises had been set ablaze.
The military maintained that claims that troops failed to respond to the attack were inaccurate, saying soldiers were mobilised immediately after receiving information about the incident.
It urged journalists and members of the public to verify information before publication to avoid misleading reports
