Thirty six Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by insurgents in Niger State, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) revealed on Thursday.

Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, provided the casualty figures during a briefing in Abuja. He said the soldiers were attacked while on duty in the Zungeru area of Niger State earlier this week.

Buba declined to speculate on the cause of a Nigerian Air Force helicopter crash on Monday in the state’s Shiroro Local Government Area. The helicopter was evacuating casualties from the ambush when it went down.

Investigations into the cause of the crash are still ongoing, Buba noted. He cautioned against believing terrorist propaganda and urged Nigerians to remain patriotic.

The DHQ spokesperson paid tribute to the fallen soldiers who lost their lives serving the country. He said Nigeria would remain undeterred in the fight against insurgency despite the attacks.

Security experts have raised concerns over increased militant activity in northern Nigerian states. The government has deployed reinforcements to improve security in vulnerable regions.