Nigerian soldiers and members of the Niger State police force were the latest victims of the insecurity that has continued to traumatize the Nigerian public.
Driving the news
- The gunmen ambushed the security personnel after the authorities deployed the latter to search and rescue the surviving victims of an earlier attack on the shiroro mine last Wednesday.
- Reports say that the unidentified gunmen opened fire on the reinforcement group of about 30 soldiers riding in three trucks to the scene of the earlier attack.
- Authorities have confirmed the death of over 30 security persons while an unknown number of workers at the mine are missing, including four Chinese nationals.
What they are saying
- Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, commented on the event through his Twitter page saying the gunmen who perpetrated the attacks were sadists and they would be found and punished.
- An unnamed soldier said the loss deeply hurt the Nigerian army, but won’t give up to insecurity.
- Locals say that it is unclear which terrorist group carried out the massacre although suspected members of Boko Haram had established a camp in Shiroro last year.