The Nigerian Army has confirmed that “a number of personnel paid the supreme price when troops ran into an ambush in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

DIPLOMATIC DIARY earlier  reported that gunmen suspected to be bandits  had on Wednesday, attacked a mining site in Shiroro, killing a number of soldiers, policemen and civilians, while abducting scores of persons including some Chinese workers.

Subsequent reports indicated that no fewer than 43 persons including 30 soldiers and seven mobile police personnel and civilians were killed when the armed men stormed the Gold mining site.

Confirming the attack, the Nigerian Army, in a statement issued by its Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the troops were ambushed by the terrorists, while responding to a distress call from a village that was under attack, adding that some bandits were also gunned down during the attack.

He however said there was no attack on any critical national infrastructure as reported in some section of the media.

The statement also urged Nigerians not to share images and video from the attack. This, it said,  is to respect the families who may have lost loved ones and even breadwinners in the attack.

The statement read, “On Wednesday 29 June 2022, troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) deployed in Shiroro general area responded to a distress call of bandits attack on people operating a mining site. Enroute the location, the troops ran into an ambush staged by the criminal elements. Sadly, a number of personnel paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued.

“Subsequently, the location has been reinforced and troops are on the trail of the criminals with some already neutralized. The GOC 1 Division has moved to the location to take charge of the follow on 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. 

“Furthermore, the NA calls on all Nigerians to continue to support the efforts of their military personnel who continue to confront the enemies of our dear nation.”