BBC Pidgin of Thursday, 17 August 2023

Source: BBC

'How bandits ambush, kill soldiers for Shiroro' - Military tok about Airforce helicopter crash

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Nigeria military high command say dem lose three officers, 22 soldiers for ambush wey dem suffer for Niger state North central of di kontri.

Dem say seven officers also wunjure for di ambush wey kill many of dia men.

Director Defence Media Operations, Major Gen Edward Buba tell tori pipo dis one for Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

E say di Air Force jet bin crash for Shiroro area of Niger State wen e bin go rescue some victims.

Buba add say di jet wey crash bin carry di deadi bodi of 14 soldiers wey dem bin don kill before.

“No group go strike our own men, wey no go collect wotowoto,” Buba tok.

Eye witness tok wetin happun for Shiroro

Across Nigeria many pipo still dey tok about di helicopter crash and di soldiers wey die for Niger state, Central Nigeria in dia fight to end insecurity for di area.

For years now Niger state and some oda neighbouring states dey suffer massive security wahala wey lead to say na bandits dey in control for some areas.

On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu condole wit di families of di soldiers wey die and call dem national heroes wey lose dia lives in service to fatherland.

Barrister Sani Kokki na from Shiroro local goment wey di incident happun and e tell BBC News Pidgin say e disagree wit wetin Nigerian military dey tok regarding di plane crash.

“For dem to tok say di plane just crash or dem dey investigate no be true.”

“Wetin dey happun be say those bandits dey control some parts for those areas and Nigerian military dey try overcome dem na wetin lead to di kasala.”

Jubril Alawa na youth leader for Alawa village close to wia di crash happun and e also tell BBC News Pidgin say every indicator dey point to di fact say na bandits bring down di Air Force helicopter.

“Villagers wey see di helicopter before e crash confam say dem see am flying low West of Badna village and na dat place di bandits dey stay.”

Jubril say many of di villagers at di moment dey run leave di area as dem dey fear future attacks by di bandits wey fit feel say na dem supply military wit information.

“Most of dem dey run to various towns leaving dia homes behind becos dem dey fear wetin fit happun in di coming days.”

Tok tok pesin for Nigerian Air Fore Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet for statement on Monday say di helicopter bin dey try comot some casualties from di area when e crash for Chukuba village.