Thirty-six Nigerian soldiers were killed during an ambush in the north-central region where a military helicopter crashed during a mission to evacuate the attack casualties, the military has confirmed.
Investigations have been opened on the cause of the Monday helicopter crash as well as the gunmen attack, the military spokesman Maj Gen Edward Buba said on Thursday.
It is the first time the military has confirmed details of the casualties of the two incidents that happened in Niger state, one of the states worst-hit by gunmen carrying out kidnappings for ransom.
“Our troops entered into an ambush in the general of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state. The ambush led to a firefight which resulted in the death of three officers, and 22 soldiers while seven were wounded in action,'' General Buba was quoted as saying by local media.
Following the attack, a helicopter was sent to evacuate the casualties but on its way to neighbouring Kaduna state after the evacuation, it crashed.
''In the crash were 14 of the previously killed in action personnel in that ambush, seven of the previously wounded in action personnel, two pilots of the helicopter and two crew members, ” the military spokesperson added.
The AP news agency quoted witnesses as saying that the aircraft crashed after being fired at by gunmen. The authorities have not said what caused the crash but that investigations were ongoing.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu mourned the victims of the attacks in a statement on Tuesday night. “In their dedicated service to our beloved country, they paid the ultimate price,” he added.
Nigeria has been grappling with frequent attacks by armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom with troops carrying out aerial bombardments of their forest hideouts in addition to ground operations by troops.
