By Eric Elezuo
The Abuja National Military Cemetery was a centre of agony, tears and sorrow on Friday as 22 officers of the Armed Forces were laid to rest amid tears, and loud wailing by family members, friends and colleagues.
No fewer than 36 officers were killed in battle, including an air mission, on August 14, according to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba; Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa; and other service chiefs.
In his speech, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, vowed to avenge the death of troops killed in Niger State.
“To the bandits, terrorists, and perpetrators of violence, we will hunt you down, we will bring you to justice and will restore peace and security to every corner of our nation.
“Your actions may cause pain and suffering but they will never extinguish the spirit of unity and resilience that bonds within us,” he said.
General Musa assured the families of the deceased that the death of the troops was not in vain.
The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, had announced that no fewer than three officers and 22 soldiers were killed by bandits in an ambush at Zungeru, Niger State.
According to DHQ, the casualties include two pilots and two crew members in the crashed M1 171 military helicopter conveying bodies of some of the soldiers killed in the ambush.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who disclosed this while giving breakdown of casualties of the attack in Abuja, said: “Sadly, it is no more news that we sustained casualties on August 14, 2023, in two separate but related occurrences.
‘’Troops, while conducting offensive operations around Kundu general area in Shiroro LGA of Niger State, got into an ambush. Following a firefight, three officers and 22 soldiers were killed in action, while seven soldiers were wounded in action.
“Subsequently, the NAF MI-171 helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the casualties. While outbound to Kaduna, the helicopter crashed with the corpses of the 14 personnel earlier killed in action, seven of the personnel were wounded in action, while two pilots and two crew members of the helicopter also died.
“Operations are ongoing to recover the bodies and investigate the cause of the air crash, which will be communicated. Surely, no group will strike own troops with impunity.”
The insecurity in the northern region has taken another dimension since the emergence of Bola Tinubu administration just as the military has vowed to deal decisively with the situation.
