How Bandits Shot Down a Surveillance Helicopter in Niger State

Ilesanmi AdekanbiAugust 16, 2023

1 minute read

A group of bandits has claimed that they were responsible for shooting down a surveillance helicopter that crashed in Badna, Chukuba ward of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State on Monday.

The helicopter was conducting a security operation in the area, which has been plagued by banditry and kidnapping for months.

The bandits released a video on social media, showing them firing at the helicopter with an AK-47 rifle. They said they belonged to the Dogo Gide group, one of the most notorious bandit factions that have been terrorising parts of Niger State, killing many farmers and security operatives.

However, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, who visited Niger State governor in his office in Abuja, said that weather conditions and other factors may have contributed to the helicopter crash.

He added that an investigation had been launched to determine the exact cause of the incident.

The helicopter crash is the latest in a series of attacks by bandits on security forces and civilians in Niger State and other parts of the country.

The federal and state governments have been struggling to contain the security challenges posed by the bandits, who often demand ransom for their victims or attack villages and schools.

The governor of Niger State has called for more support from the federal government and the international community to end the menace of banditry in his state.