25 Soldiers Killed During Suspected Terrorists’ Attack In Niger State, Military Confirms

Major General Edward Buba, who serves as the director of Defence Media Operations, revealed during a biweekly media briefing the total casualties included three officers and 22 soldiers. Seven soldiers were also wounded during the clash in the Chukuba Ward of the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

"As a result of this, there was a need for casualty evacuation, whereby the Air force helicopter was dispatched, and while the operation was ongoing and inbound to Abuja the helicopter crash in Kaduna," General Buba said, World Stage News reported.

He went on to explain that the helicopter crash, which took place on Aug. 14, killed two pilots, and two crew members, while injuring seven.

Talking about the military operations, as of Aug. 17, the military has neutralized 28 terrorists, arrested 92 terrorists, six gunrunners, three kidnappers, six collaborators, and seven perpetrators of oil theft. The military officials have also rescued 82 kidnapped hostages.

"Overall, troops recovered 108 weapons and 564 ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 22 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 6 pump action guns, 4 dane guns, one fabricated rifle, one galil ace rifle, one RGP bomb, one RPG tube, 44 hand grenades, 322 rounds of 7.62 mm special, 63 rounds of 12.7 mm ammo, 12 rounds of 5.6 mm ammo, 33 AK47 magazines, one empty case of 7.62 mm special and 3 empty magazines," he added.

General Buba said that the troops collected several items from the bandits, including 14 motorcycles, 16 mobile phones, three motorolla radios, one boafeng radio, two motorcycle tyres, five touch lights, two solar panels, 104 livestock, and more than two million cash.

"Troops discovered and destroyed 36 dugout pits, 62 wooden boats, 73 storage tanks, one vehicle and 75 cooking ovens. Others include; 4 pumping machine, 5 outboard engine and 33 illegal refining sites," he said about the Niger Delta area.

Moreover, the military has successfully recovered 1,166,900 liters of stolen crude oil, 1,491,250 liters of illegally refined automated gas oil, 54,750 liters of dual purpose kerosine and 800 liters of premium motor spirit.

He concluded, "It is also a message to members of these violent extremist groups that think they can hide. They can be rest assured that others shall raise their sons and daughters, as no one will strike at the military without injurious consequences."

The media briefing took place three days after Shiroro Concerned Youths' convener Sanni Kokki noted on Monday that at least 13 soldiers were killed alongside one pilot.