Army clarifies encounter with police in Plateau, seeks public cooperation

The Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, has called for public cooperation to maintain peace in Plateau State while clarifying the circumstances surrounding a viral video showing an encounter between its troops and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in Bassa Local Government Area.

The task force made the call on Monday in a statement issued by its Media Information Officer, Captain Chinonso Oteh.

It explained that the troops were responding to a distress call over sporadic gunfire and the killing of a resident when the encounter with the police personnel occurred.

According to the statement, on October 20, 2026, troops of Sector 3, Operation Enduring Peace, received a distress call reporting sporadic gunfire in Mai Farin Moto, Maraban Dere and adjoining communities in Bassa, alongside reports of the killing of one Adamu Suleiman.

The task force said the troops were deployed to assess the security situation, establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, prevent escalation and protect lives and property.

“On arrival, the troops sought to engage the police personnel operating in the area to clarify the situation and facilitate a coordinated security response.

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“Regrettably, the interaction was characterised by a lack of cooperation from some personnel, despite efforts to de-escalate tensions and maintain operational discipline”, the statement said.

The statement stressed that the intervention was prompted by an operational distress call and undertaken in the interest of public safety, adding that “any contrary narrative should be considered against the circumstances that necessitated the deployment”.

It reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to impartiality and professionalism, noting that the effectiveness of joint security operations depended on inter-agency coordination, mutual respect and unity of effort.

“Issues arising from the incident are being addressed through appropriate command and inter-agency channels to establish the facts, sustain operational cohesion and prevent recurrence,” the statement added.

The task force urged members of the public and media practitioners to verify information before publication and refrain from disseminating unsubstantiated accounts capable of undermining public confidence or disrupting relations among security agencies.

Operation Endurance Peace assured Plateau residents of its continued commitment to maintaining law and order and consolidating peace and security across its joint operations area.