Plateau Polytechnic Protest, No Military Killed Any Protester In Jos -STF

Yakubu Busari

The Operation Safe Haven Commander Maj Gen IS Ali has emphasized the troops’ protection of people from harm as the military top priority while calling on the students to always abide by the laws.

 

According to him, the Headquarters of Operation SAFE HAVEN noted a statement signed by an Activist Sunday A. Asuku the National President, National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) Plateau State condemning the Nigerian Army.

 

The Military Information Officer, Major Ishaku Takwa refuted the allegation in a press statement in Jos,

 

He alleged that the National Association of polytechnic students demanded an immediate sanction to trigger happy soldiers or face the wrath of Nigerian students.

 

The statement alleged that trigger happy personnel of the Nigerian Army under Operation SAFE HAVEN invaded their campus and unleashed terror on peaceful protesters, leaving one dead and so many hospitalized.

 

He said the allegation leveled against troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN is baseless, false, and unfounded.  No personnel serving in Operation SAFE HAVEN were fired at any protesting student. Security agencies professionally dispersed the protesting students who barricaded the major road linking Jos Metropolis with other states causing traffic jams for commuters.

 

Therefore, citizens are enjoined to disregard the statement issued by the student leader in its entirety.

 

Operation SAFE HAVEN wishes to also draw the attention of the students and indeed members of the public on the ban of any kind of protest by group or persons in the state by the Nigeria Police while the curfew imposed by the Plateau state government is still enforced.

 

Therefore, the protest by the students was unnecessary. It should be noted that hoodlums would have infiltrated the protest and cause mayhem that would have disrupted the fragile peace on the plateau, but the timely intervention of the security agencies averted the ugly situation. Normalcy has since been restored and people are going about doing their normal activities.

 

Security agencies on the plateau will continue to ensure peace reigns on the plateau. We reiterate that personnel of OPSH deployed on the Plateau will continue to conduct themselves in the most professional manner in line with global best practices of respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry and strict adherence to Rules of Engagement (ROE).

 

The people, including the students, are the major reason the troops are deployed in the first place.