The Taraba State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has moved to dispel a social media report alleging that its operatives uncovered a suspected drug bunker at the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences in Jalingo.

The report, which circulated widely online under the headline, “NDLEA Uncovers Suspected Drug Bunker at Taraba College of Nursing Sciences,” appeared to link the institution to an alleged illicit drug operation.

But the NDLEA has categorically distanced itself from the report, saying it neither conducted the operation nor issued any statement announcing such a discovery.

In an official clarification signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mawoh Paul Voloh, on Tuesday, the agency said it did not carry out any operation at the college or its immediate vicinity.

The clarification has raised concerns over the growing circulation of unverified security-related reports on social media, particularly when such reports involve educational institutions and could affect the reputation of students, staff and management.

According to the NDLEA Command, there is no official record of an operation involving the discovery of a “drug bunker” at the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences.

The Command further warned that photographs and narratives being circulated in connection with the report should not be attributed to the NDLEA Taraba Command.

The agency’s position effectively puts a distance between it and the images and claims contained in the publication, making clear that the material did not emanate from an official operation or communication by the Command.

Beyond the denial, the controversy highlights the potential consequences of publishing unverified allegations involving schools and other public institutions.

The NDLEA described the publication as misleading, noting that it could wrongly associate the college, its management, staff and students with illicit drug activities.

For an institution responsible for training future nurses and midwives, such an allegation could have consequences extending beyond the immediate controversy, including reputational damage and public suspicion.

The Command therefore urged the media and members of the public to exercise caution before sharing reports, photographs or claims purportedly linked to security agencies.

While denying the specific report, the NDLEA stressed that its anti-drug activities across Taraba state remain ongoing under Operation Restore Order.
The operation is aimed at identifying, disrupting and dismantling illicit drug activities and trafficking networks across the state.

The Command emphasised that its denial of the nursing college report should not be interpreted as a withdrawal from its anti-drug mandate.

Rather, it reaffirmed its commitment to combating drug abuse and trafficking while protecting communities, particularly young people, from the consequences of illicit drug activities.

The episode also underscores the difficulty security agencies face in controlling narratives surrounding their operations in the age of social media.

Images can quickly circulate without their original context, while headlines and accompanying narratives may be reproduced by different platforms before authorities have an opportunity to authenticate them.

In this case, the NDLEA has made its position clear: it did not conduct the alleged operation at the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, and did not issue any official statement announcing the discovery of a drug bunker there.

The Command has consequently called for information concerning its operations to be verified with the appropriate authorities before publication or circulation.

For now, the alleged “drug bunker” report remains disowned by the agency it purportedly attributed the operation to, leaving the circumstances surrounding the photographs and claims in circulation unclear.

The NDLEA, meanwhile, says it remains focused on its stated mandate under Operation Restore Order to disrupt illicit drug activities and protect communities across Taraba State.