Defence HQ Confirms 36 Military Officers Dead in Niger State Ambush, Jet Crash

On Thursday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reported that 36 military officers had died in Niger State.

This information was made public days after bandits ambushed military soldiers in Niger State

Some valiant Nigerian Army soldiers paid the ultimate price after insurgents ambushed them in the state’s Zungeru region.

When Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, released a breakdown of the casualties in the troop ambush in Niger State and the evacuation helicopter crash on August 14, 2023, he made this revelation.

The breakdown was presented at the Defense Media Operations’ biweekly briefing.

He continued by saying that two pilots, two crew members, and 14 already deceased soldiers were among those on the Air Force aircraft that crashed while it was on an evacuation mission.

Buba reiterated that an investigation is still ongoing to identify the cause of the helicopter accident when questioned about it. He also urged civilians to be aware of terrorist propaganda and to continue to be patriotic.

In addition, a Nigerian Air Force MI-171 helicopter that was on a mission to evacuate injured people crashed on Monday in the state’s Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA).

Recall that on Tuesday, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar explained why the NAF jet that was headed to Niger State crashed.

The aviation chief ascribed the crashes to seasonal difficulties, such as weather, which he claimed hinders the officers’ ability to strike during operations.