On Monday, a Nigerian military helicopter that had been dispatched to the central Niger state to evacuate wounded soldiers from a deadly attack was shot at by bandits and crashed.
In the region where the army has been battling armed groups, it is reported that an ambush claimed the lives of over a dozen soldiers.
The AFP news agency cited military sources when reporting that the attack on Sunday claimed the lives of at least 26 members of the Nigerian security forces and injured another eight.
However, local media in Nigeria claimed that the ambush had killed at least 13 soldiers.
The rescue helicopter was carrying 11 people who were dead and seven people who were injured when it crashed, according to the AFP news agency.
Unable to provide any information regarding crash casualties, an air force spokesman said that rescue efforts and investigations were ongoing.
“The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route for Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State,” Edward Gabkwet said.
In recent years, thousands of people have been killed in attacks carried out by armed gangs in central and north-western Nigeria where they rob and kidnap for ransom.
Source-BBC
