A Nigerian Air Force helicopter crashed in the north-central Nigerian state of Niger on Monday after the helicopter encountered gunfire from armed bandits, sources said.
The helicopter crashed in the vicinity of Chukuba village within the Shiroro local government area of the state, as confirmed by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, spokesperson for the air force.
He mentioned that an investigation was currently underway. The number of individuals on board the helicopter remains unknown.
Niger state is situated several hundred kilometers southeast of Niamey, the capital of Niger where a junta took control in a coup last month.
According to two military sources, armed bandits shot at the helicopter, which had been dispatched to evacuate victims of an attack on Sunday.
Sunday’s attack had resulted in the deaths of at least 10 soldiers who were ambushed.
Armed criminal groups are prevalent throughout Nigeria’s northwest, engaging in robberies and kidnappings for ransom. Over the past few years, numerous attacks have resulted in the deaths of thousands of individuals.
The militant organization Boko Haram operates actively in northern Nigeria, alongside the regional affiliate of Islamic State known as the Islamic State of West Africa.
