A number of Nigerian soldiers were killed in Wednesday’s ambush attack by bandits in Shiroro general area, according to the Nigerian Army.
The killing of the soldiers was confirmed by Director Army Public Relation, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement released via various social media platforms of the Nigerian Army.
Sources said about 30 Nigerian soldiers were killed in the attack on a mining site in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. The casualty figure has not been verified by the Nigerian Army. A separate source reported that locals said a search party found 37 bodies of soldiers and policemen in a bush near the mining site on Thursday morning.
It added that six other corpses of civilians were also recovered from the bush.
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In the statement released by the Nigerian Army, the Director Army Public Relation said the soldiers who were deployed in Shiroro general area were responding to a distress call of bandits attack on people operating a mining site.
He said enroute the location, the troops ran into an ambush staged by the criminal elements. Sadly, a number of personnel paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued.
He further added that the location has been reinforced and troops are on the trail of the criminals with some already neutralized. He also revealed that the GOC 1 Division has moved to the location to take charge of the follow on operations.
The Army also frown at the way and manner social media users are posting clips and images of the attack saying it shows a lack of respect to the dead Nigerian soldiers and their family members.
In this regard, the statement reads; “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 was 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.”
Source: The Nigerian Army.
