Agwatashi (Olosoho) community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has called on the authority of the Nigerian Army, to remove its name from the news that has gone viral that an illegal armed factory has been discovered in the community.
The community made its position known in a press statement signed by the youth leader of the community, Aliyu Adokwe and made available to journalists on Saturday.
It would be recalled that Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, confirmed the news of illegal armed factory in a statement on Monday in Makurdi.
Zubairu said troops deployed to Forward Operating Base (FOB), during routine patrols uncovered a concealed location suspected to be used for the illegal manufacturing of locally fabricated weapons.
“Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing factory in Agwatashi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State”
“A thorough search of the site led to the recovery of six locally fabricated pistols, assorted tools and instruments believed to be used in the production of illegal weapons, the sum of ₦40,500, and a mobile phone, were found on the suspect”
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the location served as an illegal arms manufacturing site supplying criminal elements with firearms within and beyond the area” he said.
Adokwe in the statement opined that in the first place, Agwatashi (Olosoho) is located in Obi Local Government Area, while Agbashi is a separate community located in Doma Local government area, saying though both of them are in Nasarawa State.
“Agwatashi (Olosoho) and Agbashi are two separate communities domiciled in two different local government areas of the state, one is in Obi local government area, while the other is in Doma local government area, so the name of our community was erroneously mentioned in the military statement”
“Ours is a peace loving community that has never been involved in criminal or illegal arms activities, and no security agency has uncovered any illegal arms factory or made arrests in our community. We viewed this as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the good name, reputation and the niche we carved for ourselves for decades”
“We therefore call on the Headquarters of JTF and Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), to retract the story and clear the name of Agwatashi (Olosoho) community or we would have no option than to resort to legal action against the military authority” the statement said.
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