The Nigerian Army has debunked a viral audio clip making rounds on social media, calling it “highly misleading and malicious.” The audio alleges that troops under Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) clashed violently with personnel of Operation Zenda Joint Task Force (JTF) in Makurdi, Benue State.
In a sharp response, Captain Abdullahi Lawal Osabo, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 401 Special Forces Brigade/Sector 1 OPWS, described the claims as entirely false. He said the audio also “falsely claims the illegal release of a so-called Fulani terrorist kingpin by military personnel following the alleged killing of 23 civilians and a Mobile Police (MOPOL) officer in Tulan community, Kwande Local Government Area.”
The Army didn’t leave anything to speculation. A fact-finding team from OPWS, working with police authorities, launched a thorough probe into the allegations.
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Their verdict, According to the statement, “no killings occurred in Kwande LGA on May 11, 2025, as alleged.”
The Benue State Police Command also weighed in, confirming that no such incident was documented. On top of that, the commander of the OP Zenda base flat-out denied any standoff with the military, adding that “no raid occurred, contrary to the audio’s claims.”
The Army is urging the public to disregard the audio and refrain from spreading unverified content that could cause panic or fuel tensions.