Residents of Agwatashi (Olosoho) community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have rejected claims by the Nigerian Army that an illegal arms manufacturing site was uncovered in their area, describing the report as a clear case of mistaken identity.
The community stated its position in a press release signed by its youth leader, Aliyu Adokwe, and made available to journalists on Sunday.
The reaction followed an earlier statement issued by Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), in which he announced that troops had allegedly discovered an illegal arms production site during a routine patrol.
According to the military statement, the location was reportedly used for the fabrication of locally made firearms, with items such as pistols, tools, cash, and a mobile phone recovered. Zubairu further stated that the discovery was made in Agwatashi in Doma Local Government Area, adding that preliminary findings indicated the site supplied weapons to criminal elements within and outside the area.
However, Adokwe strongly refuted the claim, insisting that the community mentioned in the military report was wrongly identified.
He explained that Agwatashi (Olosoho) is located in Obi Local Government Area, while Agbashi — a different settlement entirely — is situated in Doma Local Government Area.
“Agwatashi (Olosoho) and Agbashi are two distinct communities in different local government areas. The mention of our community in the military statement is erroneous,” Adokwe said.
The youth leader emphasized that Agwatashi (Olosoho) has a long-standing reputation as a peaceful community and has never been associated with criminal activities or illegal arms production. He added that no security agency has carried out any such operation or made arrests within the community.
Describing the report as damaging to the image and reputation of the people, Adokwe called on the military authorities to urgently correct the error.
“We see this as an attempt to tarnish the good name we have built over the years. We demand a retraction and a clear statement to set the record straight, failing which we will pursue legal action,” the statement warned.
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