The Nigerian Army Headquarters has officially verified that two officers and four soldiers lost their lives in an ambush carried out by terrorists in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. The Director of Army Public Relations, Manor General Onyema Nwachukwu, released a statement on Sunday confirming the tragic incident.
The troops were reportedly ambushed while conducting a fighting patrol to Karaga Village in the Shiroro Local Government Area. The statement mentioned that the soldiers, belonging to the 1st Division of the Nigerian Army, encountered the terrorists on Friday, April 19th, 2024, and engaged in a fierce battle where they managed to eliminate several terrorists and capture some of their equipment.
In response to this unfortunate event, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division and Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj. Gen. Landers Saraso, expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen personnel on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff. He assured the families that the troops would avenge this setback.
The troops are currently in pursuit of the terrorists who escaped after the confrontation, as stated by the GOC, urging the residents of Niger State to continue with their lawful activities while assuring them of protection by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.
Following tradition, the Nigerian Army has informed the families of the fallen soldiers, and the burial for the Muslim personnel has been carried out with the approval of their relatives.
The burial ceremony at Minna Military Cantonment Cemetery was attended by the Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Maj. Gen. Kelvin Aligbe, representing the Chief of Army Staff.
The Deputy Governor of Niger State, along with representatives from the COAS, GOC, and other senior officers, visited the injured soldiers at the Military Hospital and extended condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers.
