The Nigeria Army Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied media reports that four persons were killed by soldiers and their bodies dumped in a pond in Jos during clampdown on looters of private proper­ties in the state.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Saturday described such reports as malicious and mis­chievous.

Enenche explained that the soldiers attached to the Special Task Force (STF), Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), were nev­er engaged in any profession­al misconduct in preventing criminals from perpetrating crimes in the state.

He said that troops in an at­tempt to stop hoodlums from looting the residence of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on October 25, only arrested the perpetrators.

According to him, the hood­lums and vandals invaded the private property of the former speaker at Lamingo, with a view to looting it.

“Consequently, troops of the STF, OPSH, which are sad­dled with the responsibility of maintaining peace and tran­quility in Plateau State and environs, were immediately deployed to bring the situation under control.

“Guided by extant Rules of Engagement and Standing Operating Procedures for such situations, the highly profes­sional troops arrived at the residence and apprehended a total number of 30 looters.

“Additionally, a total of 114 hoodlums comprising 21 females and 93 males were apprehended for looting,’’ he said.

He recalled that Head­quarters Operation Safe Ha­ven briefed the press on the arrests which was widely reported in various main stream and online media.

“It is worthy to mention that the timely intervention of our troops at the residence of the former speaker en­sured that the situation was nipped in the bud.

“Thus, the story is a mali­cious and mischievous pub­lication against the Nigerian Military and Operation Safe Haven in particular, that has commendably fostered peace in Plateau State,” he said.

Enenche also disclosed that 41 suspected hoodlums comprising six females and 35 males were also arrested and thereafter released after profiling.

“One, therefore, wonders where there was shooting for a situation that was managed professionally to bring the situation under control.

“Consequently, the De­fence Headquarters wishes to commend the highly pro­fessional troops of Operation Safe Haven for their dedica­tion to duty.

“Members of the gener­al public are also assured of their safety and are encour­aged to go about their lawful activities without any fear.

“Additionally, it is always advisable for media organisa­tions to verify their facts before rushing to publish untrue and unverified stories,’’ he said.