Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, on Friday vowed that the Nigerian Military will avenge the killing of its personnel who were ambushed at Zungeru-Tegina road in Niger State on August 14, 2023.
Last week, troops from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Erena engaging terrorists were ambushed and killed while a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-171E helicopter on rescue mission subsequently crashed.
Defence Headquarters had last week disclosed that a total of 36 personnel of both the Nigerian Army and the NAF paid the supreme price during the ambush which occurred on Zungeru-Tegina road and the crash in Chukuba area of Shiroro, all in Niger State.
General Musa, speaking at National Military Cemetery, Abuja, where 20 victims of the ambush were buried, said none of the adversaries and their comrade-in-arms who perpetuated the killings will go scot-free, adding that they would be hunted down by all means.
The deceased, buried at the Cemetery, include: Private Habib Aliyu, who joined armed forces in 2020; Lance Corporal Nura Mohammed (joined in 2016); AB Suleiman with registration number X/1468; Lance Corporal Sunday Okopi (12NA/65/5192) and 16 others.
General Musa, after laying of wreath on the “heroes” graves and presentation of the national flags to the deceased’s Next-of-Kins, said the Armed Forces of Nigeria joined the family members in their griefs, adding that the deaths of their loved ones would not be in vain.
“Those that did this, and those that have continued our men, wherever they are, we will get them out. We will smoke them out and we will ensure that they never have any other opportunity to kill any other person. That I assure you.
“We will hunt you down. We will bring you to justice. We will not relent until we get those causing havocs in the country,” the distraught Defence Chief said.