The Operation ENDURING PEACE, JTF-OPEP, has debunked a viral video that has been circulating on social media in which its troops were seen engaging personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in an altercation at Rafiki area of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to the leaked video, personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, under the instruction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, conducting a clearance operation across Plateau State reportedly clashed with military personnel during a raid on a suspected bandit hideout on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
In the video, the soldiers who were reportedly led by a Major purportedly from the Sector 3 of the Operation Enduring Peace Task Force, were seen blocking the police convoy and preventing them from gaining access to the area.
A narrator in the video said this situation became tense when the police personnel stormed the area and spotted militia members in possession of military-grade weapons but were prevented from making arrests by the soldiers.
But in a statement on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of OPEP, Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, the Joint Task Force dismissed the video, saying what happened was not the true position of things.
"Headquarters Joint Task Force, Operation ENDURING PEACE (JTF-OPEP), has noted the circulation of a viral video concerning an encounter between troops and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. The Headquarters wishes to clarify the operational circumstances surrounding the incident," the OPEP spokesman said.
Continuing, Oteh said:
"On 20 October 2026, troops of Sector 3, Operation ENDURING PEACE, JTF-OPEP, responded to a distress call reporting sporadic gunfire in Mai Farin Moto, Maraban Dere and adjoining communities, alongside reports of the killing of a resident, Mr Adamu Suleiman.
"The troops were deployed to the affected area to assess the security situation, establish the circumstances of the incident, prevent escalation and protect lives and property. On arrival, the troops sought to engage the police personnel operating in the area to clarify the situation and facilitate a coordinated security response.
"Regrettably, the interaction was characterised by a lack of cooperation from some personnel, despite efforts to de-escalate tensions and maintain operational discipline.
"The Joint Task Force emphasises that the troops' intervention was prompted by an operational distress call and undertaken in the interest of public safety. Any contrary narrative should be considered against the circumstances that necessitated the deployment.
"Operation ENDURING PEACE remains committed to impartiality, professionalism and the protection of lives and property. As a joint security arrangement, its operational effectiveness depends on inter-agency coordination, mutual respect, adherence to established procedures and unity of effort. Issues arising from the incident are being addressed through appropriate command and inter-agency channels to establish the facts, sustain operational cohesion and prevent recurrence.
"The public and media practitioners are urged to verify information before publication and refrain from disseminating unsubstantiated accounts capable of undermining public confidence or disrupting inter-agency relations.
"Operation ENDURING PEACE assures residents of Plateau State of its continued resolve to maintain law and order, protect innocent citizens and consolidate peace and security across the Joint Operations Area."
OPEP debunks viral video of confrontation between troops, police officers in Plateau