By Harriet Tornguvan
The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation Savannah Shield (OPSS), has dismissed allegations that its troops abandoned their duty post during an attack on Yashikara community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State and engaged in extortion activities at checkpoints.
The allegations, contained in an online report published by Sahara Reporters, claimed that soldiers deployed in Yashikara relocated to Chikanda to mount checkpoints for the purpose of extorting motorists and failed to respond to a distress call during an attack on the Emir’s Palace.
However, in a statement issued by the Acting Media Information Officer of OPSS, Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, the task force described the claims as false, misleading and a deliberate distortion of facts.
According to the statement, Operation Savannah Shield has no military deployment in Yashikara community, making it impossible for troops to have abandoned or relocated from the area as alleged.
“For clarity, JTF OPSS has no deployment in Yashikara community, which clearly invalidates the claim that troops abandoned or relocated from the area during the incident. Troops are only deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Chikanda, where they have continued to discharge their operational responsibilities professionally and diligently,” the statement said.
The task force also rejected allegations that its personnel extort motorists, insisting that troops operating under OPSS have maintained high standards of discipline and professionalism while carrying out their mandate of protecting lives and property across the North-Central region.
Addressing the attack on the Emir’s Palace, which occurred on May 25, 2026, the military disclosed that troops at FOB Chikanda received information about the incident at approximately 1:45 a.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.
The statement noted that the base is located about 38.7 kilometres from Yashikara and that troops responded promptly upon receiving the distress call.
Upon arrival, the troops reportedly discovered that the attackers had abducted three women and five children. The terrorists were also said to have set ablaze the sitting room of the Emir’s residence and two vehicles within the palace premises.
The military therefore described as “false and maliciously misleading” claims that troops failed to respond to the attack, stressing that personnel acted swiftly once information reached them.
OPSS further accused the publication of attempting to undermine the sacrifices and operational efforts of troops engaged in maintaining peace and security in the region.
The task force urged media organisations and members of the public to verify information through credible channels before publication, warning that inaccurate reports could mislead the public, undermine security operations and affect the morale of personnel deployed in the field.
Operation Savannah Shield reiterated its commitment to protecting communities across its area of responsibility and pledged to continue conducting operations with professionalism and dedication.
