Plateau: OPEP blames police over altercation with soldiers in Bassa
The headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), in Jos has blamed men of the Nigeria Police for the altercation between some soldiers and policemen in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
OPEP, in a statement signed by the Media Information Officer, Capt Chinonso Oteh, said that the problem arose on 20 October when troops of Sector 3 responded to a distress call about sporadic gunfire in Mai Farin Moto, Maraban Dere and adjoining communities and the reported killing of a local resident, Mr Adamu Suleiman, in Bassa.
However, when the troops arrived to assess the security situation, establish the circumstances of the incident, prevent escalation and protect lives and property, they encountered some policemen in the area who became very uncooperative.
He said that in the process, tension reached a high pitch, but it was quickly contained.
The statement said: “Headquarters, Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (JTF-OPEP), has noted the circulation of a viral video concerning an encounter between troops and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. The headquarters wishes to clarify the operational circumstances surrounding the incident.
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“On arrival, the troops sought to engage the police personnel operating in the area to clarify the situation and facilitate a coordinated security response.
“Regrettably, the interaction was characterised by a lack of cooperation from some personnel, despite efforts to de-escalate tensions and maintain operational discipline.
“The Joint Task Force emphasises that the troops’ intervention was prompted by an operational distress call and undertaken in the interest of public safety. Any contrary narrative should be considered against the circumstances that necessitated the deployment.”
Oteh reiterated OPEP’s commitment to impartiality, professionalism and the protection of lives and property.
The spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alfred Alabo, when contacted, said he had not seen the statement.
He said he was at a meeting and would contact our correspondent after the meeting, but he never did as at the time of filing this report.
