Gunmen have claimed the lives of six Nigerian soldiers in an ambush, as reported by the army. The incident occurred during a patrol in the northern Niger state on Friday, marking another tragic encounter with armed criminal groups for the military.
In addition to combating Islamist insurgents in the northeast, Nigeria’s armed forces are increasingly engaged in addressing threats posed by criminal gangs in the northern and central regions. These gangs are notorious for their violence, including killings and kidnappings targeting villagers and schoolchildren.
According to Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, the ambush took place as troops from the 1st Division conducted a patrol in Karaga village within Niger’s Shiroro local government area. Shiroro, primarily rural, has been a frequent target for attacks by armed gangs, locally referred to as bandits.
Nwachukwu stated that the soldiers were in pursuit of gunmen who had managed to flee after their accomplices were neutralized and their equipment seized in an earlier engagement with the military.
