Military denies negotiating with gunmen over planned attack on Plateau community

The military has refuted reports that Operation Safe Haven personnel talked with militants to prevent an attack on a community in Basa, Plateau State.

The military also denied reports that the gunmen had urged the troops to leave the area ahead of the planned attack.

Major Ishaku Takwa, the Military Information Officer, stated on Friday that troops did not deal with criminal groups.

The statement was titled, ‘Re: Gunmen ask troops to vacate Plateau community ahead of a planned attack.

It read, “Operation Safe Haven has noted an online report in circulation on social media alleged that gunmen asked troops deployed in an unspecified village in Bassa to vacate the community ahead of planned attacks.

“It was also alleged that the troops went on to negotiate with the gunmen to avert attacks on the said village.

“While OPSH would not want to join issues with this merchant of falsehood, it is however instructive to state that the report is unsubstantiated, laced with falsehood and fictitious imagination of the author.”