Troops responding to bandits’ attack ambushed in Niger, many killed

The Nigerian Army says its troops were on Wednesday ambushed by bandits when they responded to a distress call of an attack on workers at a mining site in Shiroro area of Niger state.

Onyema Nwachuckwu, army spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

TheCable had reported that gunmen attacked a mining site in Shiroro LGA, killed security operatives and kidnapped four Chinese workers.

Nwachukwu said some of the troops “paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued” with the bandits.

According to him, the attack did not affect any critical national infrastructure, and the area has been secured by the troops.

“On Wednesday 29 of June 2022, troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) deployed in Shiroro general area responded to a distress call of bandits attack on people operating a mining site. Enroute the location, the troops ran into an ambush taged by the criminal elements. Sadly, a number of personnel paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued,” the statement reads.

“Subsequently, the location has been reinforced and troops are on the trail of the criminals with some already neutralized. The GOC 1 Division has moved to the location to take charge of the follow on operations.

“The NA notes that some clips of the incident have surfaced online and wish to encourage well meaning Nigerians to exercise some restraint in posting images of such occurrence, mindful that our brothers and sisters who may have lost their breadwinners deserve to be properly notified and not to get such information via the media. We mention this, mindful of the inalienable rights of citizens to use the social media which is respected.

“It is also necessary to clarify that activities of the criminals were not on any critical national asset or infrastructure. Furthermore, the NA calls on all Nigerians to continue to support the efforts of their military personnel who continue to confront the enemies of our dear nation.”