"At no point did troops provide any form of cover."
The Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, has dismissed allegations that soldiers aided attackers during the recent deadly assault on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The military described the claim, attributed to a youth leader in the community and circulated on social media, as false and misleading.
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"At no point did troops provide any form of cover for the terrorist elements who carried out the unfortunate attack," the Media Information Officer of the task force, Chinonso Oteh, said in a statement on Tuesday.
The response follows widespread outrage and conflicting narratives after the Palm Sunday attack.
Mr Oteh said troops responded promptly after receiving distress calls but arrived after the attackers had fled.
"Troops on receiving a distress call... swiftly mobilised to the scene, which was far away from where they were deployed and observed that the attackers had fled," he said.
He added that soldiers acted to prevent further violence and pursued the assailants.
"Troops acted professionally to avert what could have spiraled to endless bloodshed and pursued the fleeing criminals," he stated, noting that survivors and other security agencies could attest to their conduct.
According to the military, four gun trucks were deployed to the area, and the allegation against troops was investigated and found to be untrue.
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The statement comes amid heightened tension in Jos following the attack, which triggered a 48-hour curfew imposed by the Plateau State Government and led to the rescheduling of examinations at the University of Jos due to security concerns.
It also follows criticism of the official response to the incident, including questions raised by residents over delayed intervention and broader concerns about recurring violence in Plateau communities.
The task force warned that such claims could undermine security efforts. Mr Oteh described the youth leader's allegation as "capable of demoralizing troops and causing disaffection between the military and its host community."
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He urged residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information, adding that operations are ongoing to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
"Troops have adopted effective strategies to unravel and apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act," he said.
