The Nigerian Army has called on all genuine community and religious leaders to prioritize the promotion of sustainable peace across its Joint Operations Area (JOA) and the nation at large.
The military army expressed this in a statement by the Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, in reaction to a publication by some online news media on the 13th of October, 2025, where an unnamed clergyman based in Jos was said to have alleged that soldiers deployed to evacuate corpses of church members killed by suspected Fulani militias were compelled to seek permission from the same attackers before accessing the scene.
The publication also alluded that the undisclosed pastor made the claims during a church service on Sunday, claiming that the soldiers told the pastor plainly that they could not move in to recover the bodies until they have gotten permission from the Fulani militias who carried out the attack, a situation that makes relatives to watch the corpses of their loved ones layed unattended to.
According to the JTF OPEP Media Information Officer, the said publicationappears to follow a growing pattern of unsubstantiated claims by certain religious figures to whip sentiments in the Joint Operations Area (JOA).
While recalling that similar comments were attributed to one Rev. Dachomo, who also made sweeping allegations against security agencies without verifiable evidence, Major Zhakom said a close examination of the current report reveals several inconsistencies such as no specific date, location or verifiable identity of the said pastor, suggesting a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.
He said "the anonymity of the source and the sensational nature of the claim point to a coordinated narrative designed to erode public trust in security agencies.
"It is even more worrisome that some religious leaders, instead of promoting peace and community cooperation, appear to be leading a subtle campaign of misinformation against the security agencies working tirelessly to maintain order.
"This trend not only undermines public confidence but also jeopardizes ongoing peace-building efforts."
"Notwithstanding this, Operation ENDURING PEACE remains undeterred, maintaining its professional commitment to impartiality, rapid response and the protection of all citizens irrespective of ethnic or religious identity."
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