TheCable

Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff (CDS), says the military will hunt down bandits who killed 22 soldiers in Niger state. 

Musa spoke on Friday at the burial ceremony of the soldiers at the national military cemetery in Abuja.

On August 14, an aircraft conveying wounded soldiers from the scene of the ambush by bandits in Wushishi LGA, crashed in Chukuba village, Shiroro LGA in Niger state.

Several military personnel were reportedly killed by terrorists who attacked Kundu village near Zungeru.

Days later, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that three officers and 22 soldiers were killed during the ambush and helicopter crash.

Speaking at the ceremony, the defence chief said burying personnel is one of the most difficult days for every commander, adding that he felt pained to bury his officers.

He vowed that the military would smoke out the killers of the soldiers and ensure that they never have the opportunity to kill any other person.

“I want to assure the families that their death is not in vain. We appreciate them, we pray for them and we will ensure that those that did this must pay for it,” he said.

“I use this opportunity to call all commanders, all troops all over Nigeria, that we must avenge this.

“Those that did this and those that have continued to kill our men wherever they are, we will get them out.

“Today we gather here with heavy hearts and tearful eyes to bid farewell to our fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our nation.

“We stand here today to honour their courage, dedication and unwavering commitment to duty.”

Musa said the event was to also celebrate the officers’ lives and extra extraordinary contributions.

He assured the deceased’s families that the military would stand with them in their grief and would continue to support them during “this difficult time”.

“These men and women laid down their lives so that we can live in peace and security. They fought on the front lines against the forces of evil and ensured that the flavour of hood and liberty continue to bend right in our nation,” he said.

“Their courage and dedication will forever be an inspiration to all to follow their footsteps.

“To the families who have lost loved ones, notwithstanding our deepest condolences, we cannot begin to fathom the pain and sorrow that you are experiencing but know that deep in your heart, you are not alone in your grief.

“To our fallen heroes, we will honour your memories by continuing to fight against those who seek to undermine our peace and security.

“We will remain steadfast in our resolve to be the nation worthy of sacrifice.

“To the bandits, terrorists, and perpetrators of violence, we will haunt you down, we will bring you to justice and will restore peace and security to every corner of our nation.”