Nigerian Troops At least 26 members of the Nigerian security forces were killed and eight wounded in an ambush by gunmen in central Nigeria late Sunday, two military sources told AFP. Additionally, an air force spokesman said a helicopter rescuing the wounded crashed on Monday morning in the area, where the army is fighting criminal groups, without specifying whether the crew and passengers had survived. The two military officers asked not to be identified because they were not authorised to speak on the incident while military authorities were not available for comment. “We lost 23 soldiers, including three officers, and three Civilians JTF (vigilantes) in the encounter while eight soldiers were injured,” said the first source, following “a serious fight” along the Zungeru-Tegina highway. A second officer gave the same toll and said the bandits also suffered “heavy casualties”. He also said that communication had been lost with an air force helicopter dispatched to evacuate the casual...

On Monday, Burkina Faso and Mali issued a joint statement warning against military intervention in their neighbor and coup-stricken Niger, claiming that such action would equate to war in the West African area. According to WEXERES NEWS, the two countries, which are both run by militarily supported administrations, issued the warning in response to a threat made by West African leaders. Recall that following the successful coup in Niger last week, the ECOWAS leadership vowed to take military action against the junta during an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. The ECOWAS handed the junta a seven-day deadline to restore President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being kept captive, or face penalties, during the meeting, which was presided over by its chairman, President Bola Tinubu. Burkina Faso and Mali, incensed by the threat, pleaded with the West African leaders to leave Niger alone in a statement delivered on their national broadcasts on Monday night, emphasizing that any foolish move woul...

The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, ordered the arrest of an unidentified military officer, who was riding an okada against traffic. The incident happened along the Ozumba Mbadiwe Road on Victoria Island.  It was reported that when the governor saw the erring okada rider, he ordered his arrest but the motorcyclist attempted to run into a military facility along the road.  Although military personnel from the facility claimed the motorcyclist was a colleague, the governor insisted on his arrest for flouting the state's traffic laws. Operations of commercial motorcyclists have been banned in six local government areas in the state.