KEY POINTS
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JTF dismissed Reverend Dachomo’s video as propaganda.
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Task force warned against incitement and misinformation.
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Troops continue intensified patrols across Barkin Ladi communities.
The Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, has rejected allegations made in a viral video by a Plateau-based clergyman claiming that Fulani fighters were mobilising through Nyerwai village in Barkin Ladi. The task force described the video, which circulated widely on social media, as propaganda meant to stir division and undermine public confidence in security agencies.
JTF rebukes inflammatory claims
In a statement released on Tuesday by its media officer, Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, the JTF said the claims by Reverend Dachomo were “baseless and malicious.” The viral footage, he explained, accused security operatives of collusion and suggested that Christian leaders in the local government were complicit in shielding Fulani suspects from prosecution. The task force said such remarks were reckless and could inflame an already fragile peace in the state.
The video, which also alleged the killing of a herder and the rustling of 36 cows with 49 more missing, painted a picture of widespread insecurity and betrayal. According to the task force, the clergyman’s remarks invoked religious and ethnic divisions, citing court judgments and accusing local Christian figures of betrayal. It said those narratives were deliberately framed to provoke hostility and encourage self-defence mobilisation among residents.
Task force reaffirms peacekeeping role
According to Punch, Major Zhakom reiterated that Operation Enduring Peace remains focused on protecting civilians and ensuring order across its areas of responsibility, especially around Nyerwai and Dorowa. He emphasised that troops have intensified patrols to reassure residents and curb misinformation. The JTF warned the clergyman and others spreading similar claims to desist or face prosecution under existing laws.
“The command condemns the incitement and urges traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil groups to avoid inflammatory statements,” Zhakom said. “We must rally around our shared goal of sustaining peace and unity in Plateau State.”
The security outfit restated that the video’s content misrepresented ongoing operations and that its publication risked heightening tensions in a region where peace remains fragile. It urged residents to verify information before sharing and to cooperate with authorities in maintaining calm.
