By David Okpashi
Agwatashi community, also referred to as Olosoho in Alago language in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on Sunday called on the authority of the Nigerian Army, to delist its name from communities listed amongst others harbouring illegal arms factory in the country.
The community recalled the news that went viral labeling Agwatashi as a place engaging on an illegal armed manufacturing discovered by the military.
They made this known in a statement signed by its youth leader, Aliyu Adokwe, and made available to journalists on Sunday, recalling that Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), had confirmed the news of illegal armed factory in a statement last Monday in Makurdi.
According to the statement, Zubairu had announced that troops deployed to Forward Operating Base (FOB), during routine patrols uncovered a concealed location suspected to be used for the illegal manufacturing of locally fabricated weapons.
“Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing factory at Agwatashi in Doma local government area of Nasarawa State.”
“A thorough search of the site led to the recovery of six locally fabricated pistols, assorted tools and instruments believed to be used in the production of illegal weapons, the sum of ₦40,500, and a mobile phone, were found on the suspect.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the location serves as an illegal arms manufacturing site supplying criminal elements with firearms within and beyond the area”, he said.
Adokwe, in the statement submitted that in the first place, Agwatashi (Olosoho) is located in Obi Local government area and not in Doma as stated by the JTF commander in his statement.
“Agbashi is a separate community located in Doma Local government area and not Agwatashi as claimed in the statement by the JTF commander.
“We do hereby wish to appeal to the military authority to consider our appeal with the necessary attention deserved to remove Agwatashi Community erroneously placed before the whole world as a place where armed factory is discovered even though both communities are in Nasarawa State.”
“Agwatashi (Olosoho) and Agbashi are two separate communities domiciled in different local government areas of the state; one is in Obi local government area, while the other is in Doma local government area, so the name of our community was erroneously mentioned in the military statement.
“We therefore call on the Headquarters of JTF and Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), to retract the story and clear the name of Agwatashi (Olosoho) community or we would have no option than to resort to legal action against the military authority” the statement declared.