The Nigerian Army (NA) has admitted casualties in Niger State in an ambush attack launched by terrorists but denied reported attack on critical national infrastructure in Shiroro area of the State.
The director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Thursday night, however, urged Nigerians to refrain from sharing videos of the incident and allow the authorities to properly inform the families of the victims.
He explained that troops of the Nigerian Army deployed in Shiroro general area on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 responded to a distress call of bandit attack on people operating a mining site.
He said while on their way to the location, the troops ran into an ambush staged by the criminal elements where a number of personnel paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued.
He added that the location has been reinforced and troops were on the trail of the criminals with some of them already neutralised.
He disclosed that the GOC 1 Division has moved to the location to take charge of the follow-up operations.
“The NA notes that some clips of the incident have surfaced online and wish to encourage well-meaning Nigerians to exercise some restraint in posting images of such occurrence, mindful that our brothers and sisters who may have lost their breadwinners deserve to be properly notified and not to get such information via the media. We mention this, mindful of the inalienable rights of citizens to use the social media which is respected.
“It is also necessary to clarify that activities of the criminals was not on any critical national asset or infrastructure,” he said.
The Army spokesman, therefore, called on Nigerians to continue to support the efforts of the military personnel, who continue to confront the enemies of the nation.
