Army Major, Three Soldiers Killed In Ambush In Niger

Gunmen have killed a Nigerian Army Major and three Soldiers in an ambush attack at Igu village along Sarkin Pawa-Kaduna road in Munya Local Government area of Niger State.

The gunmen also killed four members of the local vigilantes who were on a joint patrol with the soldiers.

The killing of the soldiers came barely a few hours after the soldiers successfully neutralized scores of the gunmen during a gun battle, leaving also one soldier and two members of the local vigilantes killed.

A source close to the community that spoke with TheSun said the soldier ran into the ambush by the gunmen at Igu village, about 10 kilometres from Sarkin Pawa, headquarters of the Munya local government.

A further report revealed that the soldiers were on their way back to the scene of the earlier gun battle to recover the bodies of some local vigilantes that were missing, unknowing to them that the gunmen were still in the bush trying to bury their dead and evacuate the injured.

It was further gathered that the gunmen who were over 70 in number, overpowered the few soldiers who were on their return journey back to the scene.

Only one soldier managed to escape from the attack.

The source added that a pilot of a fighter jet that came to provide air support for the ground troops was said to have told the late Major whom he was communicating with on the ground that he could not see the gunmen who were said to be moving in their large number with about 150 cattle and over 60 kidnapped victims, but that he could only see the soldiers.

It was at this point that the Major told him (Pilot) to go back to avoid any casualty on their side, leaving the soldiers to face the over 70 gunmen.