Abuja-- The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said yesterday that no fewer than three officers and 22 soldiers were killed by bandits in last Monday's ambush at Zungeru, Niger State.
According to DHQ, the casualties include two pilots and two crew members in the crashed M1 171 military helicopter conveying bodies of some of the soldiers killed in the ambush.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who disclosed this while giving breakdown of casualties of the attack in Abuja, said: "Sadly, it is no more news that we sustained casualties on August 14, 2023, in two separate but related occurrences.
"Troops, while conducting offensive operations around Kundu general area in Shiroro LGA of Niger State, got into an ambush. Following a firefight, three officers and 22 soldiers were killed in action, while seven soldiers were wounded in action.
"Subsequently, the NAF MI-171 helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the casualties. While outbound to Kaduna, the helicopter crashed with the corpses of the 14 personnel earlier killed in action, seven of the personnel were wounded in action, while two pilots and two crew members of the helicopter also died.
"Operations are ongoing to recover the bodies and investigate the cause of the air crash, which will be communicated. Surely, no group will strike own troops with impunity."
Cause of helicopter crash
On the cause of the helicopter crash, Major-General Buba said an investigation was still underway to determine the cause and urged citizens to be wary of propaganda by terrorists and remain patriotic.
He said: "The investigation will determine the cause of the crash. As I speak, troops are advancing to the location.
"As soon as we get the facts, we will make the result of the investigations known. But note that no one, no group will strike at own troops without consequences."
Also speaking on the crash, Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said: "At the moment, we don't know what caused that aircraft to come down. That is why we keep advising out citizens to be wary of what they send out on social media. You are inadvertently helping terrorists to spread propaganda. What do you gain from that.
"Criminal elements cannot be using the name of religion to kill our soldiers, destroy our communities, attack our women and create situations of IDPs and citizens are happy sending their videos all around.
"Are we saying we want the criminals to continue attacking our communities?"
Reiterating that citizens should not help terrorists and criminal elements spread propaganda and fear, the NAF spokesman said: "Accident in military operations is nothing that any military organisation should be ashamed of. What we see in other countries when such occur is that the citizens rally round their armed forces.
Military kills 28 terrorists, apprehends 113 others, rescue 82 hostages
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has informed that the troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria had in the last two weeks neutralised 28 terrorists, apprehended 113 and rescued 82 victims in various operations across the country.
Buba stated this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the military across the country .
He said the apprehended suspects comprised 92 terrorists, six gunrunners, three kidnappers, six collaborators and seven perpetrators of oil theft.
He said the troops also recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition comprising 22 AK-47 rifles, one PKT gun, six pump action guns, four dane guns, one fabricated rifle, one galil ace rifle, one RGP bomb, one RPG tube and 44 hand grenades
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It will be recalled that bandits/terrorists ambushed troops in Zungeru in Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State and some gallant troops of the Nigerian Army paid the supreme price.
It was gathered that some of them were killed in an encounter on Sunday, while others were killed on Monday in an ambush.
According to reports, the security operatives were trying to block the Kundu route of the criminals, who were about to cross with some rustled cattle when they were ambushed, leading to the casualties including five vigilantes who were injured with bullets.
It was informed that the bandits had rustled several animals from several communities and tried to cross from Akere to the northern parts of the country.
