Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday in Abuja said three officers and 22 soldiers were killed terrorists during the ambush on troops in Niger State.
Also, additional seven soldiers who were wounded during the ambush, two pilots, and two crew members died in the crashed Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-171 helicopter.
DHQ Director of Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who explained that the ambush killings necessitated the deployment of the crashed NAF helicopter for evacuation operation, noted that onboard the crashed aircraft were 14 of the 22 soldiers who were killed during the ambush.
General Buba said: “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. As a result of this, there was a need for us to embark on a casualty evacuation operation whereby the Air Force helicopter was dispatched.
”While that process was on and inbound to Kaduna, the helicopter 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.”
General Buba, who vowed “injurious consequences” on the terrorists for attacking the troops, added: “One thing is for sure. No one or group would strike at own troops without injurious consequences,.”