The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation Savannah Shield (OPSS), has dismissed allegations that its troops abandoned their duty post and engaged in extortion during a recent attack on Yashikara community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Acting Media Information Officer of the operation, Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, described reports circulating online as false, misleading and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
The military was reacting to a report alleging that soldiers stationed in Yashikara left their post during an attack on the community and relocated to Chikanda to mount checkpoints for the purpose of extorting motorists. The report also claimed that troops failed to respond to a distress call during an attack on the Emir’s Palace.
However, OPSS stated that it has no military deployment in Yashikara, stressing that the allegation that troops abandoned the area was baseless.
“For clarity, JTF OPSS has no deployment in Yashikara community. Troops are only deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Chikanda, where they continue to discharge their operational responsibilities professionally and diligently,” the statement said.
The task force also rejected claims that its personnel were involved in extorting motorists, insisting that troops have maintained professionalism while carrying out security operations within the area.
Addressing the attack on the Emir’s Palace, the military said troops at FOB Chikanda received information about the incident, which occurred on May 25, 2026, at approximately 1:45 a.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.
According to the statement, soldiers travelled from Chikanda, located about 38.7 kilometres away from Yashikara, in response to the distress call.
“Upon arrival, it was discovered that terrorists had abducted three women and five children, while the sitting room of the Emir’s residence and two vehicles within the palace premises had been set ablaze,” the statement noted.
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The military maintained that the allegation that troops failed to respond to the attack was “false and maliciously misleading,” arguing that personnel acted promptly upon receiving information about the incident.
OPSS further stated that such reports undermine the sacrifices and operational efforts of security personnel working to maintain peace and security in the region.
The task force urged members of the public and media organisations to verify information through credible channels before publishing reports that could mislead the public, affect military operations or lower the morale of troops deployed in the field.
