The Nigerian Army Headquarters has confirmed the deaths of two officers and four soldiers in a terrorist ambush in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, stated on Sunday that the troops were ambushed during a combat patrol to Karaga Village in the Shiroro Local Government Area.
The statement detailed that on Friday, April 19th, 2024, the troops from the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army encountered an ambush by terrorists, during which they valiantly fought and neutralized several terrorists and seized some of their equipment.
After the incident, Major General Landers Saraso, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division and Commander of Operation Whirl Punch, expressed condolences on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff to the families of the fallen soldiers, assuring them that the troops would avenge this unfortunate event.
The GOC also stated that the troops are pursuing some of the terrorists who escaped the skirmish and encouraged the citizens of Niger State to continue their normal activities, reassuring them of the Nigerian Army’s and other security agencies’ commitment to their safety.
Following tradition, the Nigerian Army has informed the next of kin of the deceased, and with the families’ consent, burial rites were performed for the Muslim members of the personnel at the Minna Military Cantonment Cemetery, with the Chief of Army Staff represented by Major General Kelvin Aligbe, Commander of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
Accompanied by senior officers, the Deputy Governor of Niger State and representatives of the COAS and GOC visited the two injured soldiers at the Military Hospital and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.
