Thank You For Your Service!

On August 13 and 14, 2023, a total of 36 personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces  paid the supreme price during an ambush by the terrorists at Zungeru-Tegina road and the subsequent jet crash that happened in Chukuba area of Shiroro, all in Niger State. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that in thanking them for their service to the nation, the military hierarchy has begun to make good its vow to decimate the terrorists 

When the crew of MI-171E Helicopter took off from Kaduna State to carry out an evacuation of troops that were earlier ambushed by terrorists at Shiroro, Niger State, including two Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Regiment personnel, Corporal Jauro Amos and Lance Corporal Abdulrahman Abubakar, little did they know the fate that awaited them that fateful August 14, 2023. 

But even if they did, they would have still shown up because in the military no one must be left behind and this they did with no hesitation. They had sworn to service the nation and this was one of such. 

The four crew members comprising Flight Lieutenant Adamu Ibrahim, Flight Lieutenant Anthony Duryumus, Lance Corporal Alaribe Daniel and Lance Cpl Briggs Stephen Peter, had carried out the first evacuation successfully and had gone back for the next batch when the aircraft was brought down from the sky. 

Ambushand Roll Call

The evacuation were of troops who were ambushed on August 13, 2023 in Zungeru-Kagara area of Niger State. Some of the deceased persons include  Major Segun Abiodun Oni of the Nigerian Army (NA) Infantry Corps who rose to the rank of Major on July 8, 2020.

He was Platoon Commander, 72 Special Forces Battalion, Company Second in Command, Armed Forces Special Forces Battalion, and Second in Command, Defense Headquarters Special Operations Forces Battalion.

Also deceased was Flight Lieutenant Gbenga Michael Odunsami of the 65  Regular Course. Still of the Infantry Corps he was deployed to Defence Headquarters Special Operations Forces Brigade while Lieutenant Usman Shehu Alkalo was of the 45th Battalion were he was Platoon Commander. 

Sergeant Farouk Mohammed on the other hand was of the 51 Regular Intake. Of the Infantry Corps, he was deployed to the 26th Battalion in Sokoto while Corporal Ibrahim Garba was a member of the 53 Regular Intake and Corporal Chiroma Pugoyamta was also as a member of the 64 Regular Intake and was of the Infantry Corps hence his posting to 192 Battalion in Owode.

Also of the Infantry Corps, Corporal Adamu Isaac was a member of the 66 Regular Intake and was posted to the 18 Battalion in Sokoto. Corporal Haruna Jamilu on the other was of the 66 Regular Intake and his last unit was 242 Recce Battalion in Monguno. Corporal Samaila Bashiru was as a member of the 68 Regular Intake and his last unit  was the 4th Demo Battalion in Jaji.

Lance Corporal Sunday Okopi joined the NA as a member of the 68 Regular Intake. His last unit in the NA was the 4th Demo Battalion in Jaji before this special operations. Lance Corporal Ekpenyong Edet was a member of the 70 Regular Intake and his last unit the 4th Demo Battalion in Jaji.

Lance Corporal Yakubu Ayuba was enlisted into the NA as a member of the 75 Regular Intake and his last unit was the 54th Signal Brigade in Enugu while 

Lance Corporal Nura Mohammed was enlisted into the NA as a member of the 75 Regular Intake and his last unit was the 6th Division Garrison in Port Harcourt.

Private Habib Aliyu was a member of the 79 Regular Intake and was at the 2nd Battalion while Private Tanko Waje was a member of the 79 Regular Intake and was also with the 2nd Battalion. 

For the Nigerian Navy, Lt Able Regulator Suleiman Mahmood Kailani joined the NN on July 9, 2012. He was at Nigerian Navy Ship WEY from where he was drafted to the Defence Special Force and subsequently deployed for Operation Whale Punch in Bida, Niger State, where he met his untimely death.

For the NAF, Flight Lieutenant Ibrahim Abubakar Adamu and Flight Lieutenant Alfred Anthony Seth Duryumsu, were both members of the  64 Regular Course on and were commissioned as a pilot officers on September 16, 2017 and  promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenants on September 22, 2022.

Lance Corporal Briggs Stephen Stephen was recruited into NAF as a member of Basic Military Training Course 34/2015 on June 14, 2015, and was allotted the trade of aircraft technician while Aircraft Man Abubakar Abdulrahman was recruited as a member of Basic Military Training Course 38/2017 on February 2, 2018 and allotted a Regiment Specialty as a trade. 

Not left out was Corporal Jauro Amos was recruited into NAF as a member of Basic Military Training Course 40/2019 on August 19, 2019, and allotted a regimental specialty on completion of his Basic Military Training, as well as Lance Corporal Alaribe Daniel Nnamdi, who was recruited into the NAF as a member of Basic Military Training Course 32/2014 on August 15, 2014, and allotted the trade of aircraft technician. 

Last Respects 

 Just last week Friday, the Nigerian Armed Forces paid their last respects to 22 of their fallen troops at the National cemetery in Abuja. Besides grieving family members, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar; his state counterpart, Bello Mattawale were accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, amongst other senior officers. 

One after the other, they laid wreath on the graves and went on to present the national flags to the deceased’s next of kins. It was such a sombre affair that left gaping wounds in the heart. 

Vow to Avenge Death 

 At the burial of the military personnel at the National Military Cemetery, the CDS vowed to avenge the death of personnel killed by the terrorists in Niger State.

He maintained that none of those adversaries will go scot-free, saying they would be hunted down by all means. He promised the bereaved families that the deaths of their loved ones would not be in vain.

“We will hunt you down, we will bring you to Justice. We will not relent until we get those causing havocs in the country,” he vowed sombrely.

Assurances by NAF

As heavy as the cross has been on the NAF, they still pulled up to thank the families of the men for the service their loved ones rendered to the nation, for which they paid the supreme price. 

When he went to commiserate with the families of the deceased crew members of crashed MI-171E in Port Harcourt last week, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar 

 While condoling the families for the painful loss, Air Marshal Abubakar stated that the loss was a major setback for the NAF, which would take the service some time to get over. 

He went on to assure the families that the NAF would, however, never abandon the families but would always stand by them till the end.

He also assured them that their sacrifices would not be in vain as the NAF family, as well as all Nigerians, would forever remember them for giving their lives for the survival of the nation.

According to the release by Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the CAS  expressed his condolence to the Unit and appreciated them for their commitment and efforts in the ongoing joint military operations in the Niger Delta. 

Decimating Terrorists 

Barely days after the attack of the Armed Forces, the military regrouped and launched a brutal onslaught against the terrorists that saw several killed, others injured and few of them surrendering. The ongoing operation has been yielding results already with so many weapons recovered too. 

This onslaught is expected to continue unabated especially with the NAF set to receive 18 attack helicopters from the United States and Turkey to strengthen its fleet.

Picture caption

1) The deceased at their final resting place at the Nigerian Military Cemetery, Abuja