Harmed Force
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, a MI-171 helicopter, crashed in Niger State while on a casualty evacuation mission. The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna, but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, according to a statement by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet. According to Reuters, sources said the aircraft had come under fire from armed bandits, who fired at the helicopter which had been sent to evacuate victims of an attack that killed at least 10 ambushed soldiers.
Belatedly acknowledged by official sources, at least 26 soldiers and vigilantes were killed in that incident. How many people died in that helicopter medevac has not been stated. In a video showing the dead soldiers, they alleged that the helicopter was shot down by AK-47 guns, a departure from the customary anti-aircraft weapons such as general-purpose machine guns and mortars which bandits are now known to possess. Given the effective range of a bullet fired from an AK-47, that would suggest that the assailants were at close quarters with the helicopter’s take-off point, a worrying possibility. What is also not officially acknowledged is the nature of the conflict. The fighting was between Nigeria’s security forces and bandits in Shiroro LGA and environs in Niger State. Insecurity in Nigeria’s largest state has gone from basic banditry to an unrecognised Islamist insurgency that now has competing interests from both Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates. When the Nigeria Army packed up and left its minimally-equipped but recently instituted, Munya outpost in April 2021, it became obvious it was no longer just dealing with rag-tag bandits who were kidnapping to stay alive but well-armed and equipped armed groups who were either affiliated with Boko Haram or ISWAP. These militants have also grown in strength, acquiring territories and appropriate resources, demonstrated in the attack on a mine at Ajata-Aboki community, Shiroro, where 37 Nigerian security personnel were killed. The terrorists are believed to be non-Nigerian Boko Haram/ISWAP militants who were not initially domiciled in the area. Their long hair, pierced noses, and mode of operation pointed to that fact. Again, this has still not been acknowledged by the government or military. The recurrent theme is the Nigerian government’s and military failure to learn from past mistakes. First, ambushes have been a regular way in which soldiers have been taken out. The army has still not improved its ambush-resistance measures despite changing commanders at TRADOC. Furthermore, the government has not made any effort to maintain air superiority in conflict areas despite the numerous attacks on jets in the Northeast and the Northwest. The air force has largely glossed over this by increasing air strikes against bandits. Lastly, and of utmost significance, the government has not been transparent, resulting in a lack of openness to the public. Everything from how they conveyed the news of the helicopter crash to revealing the identities of those on the opposing side falls short of expectations. In the previously mentioned video, the militants were heard asserting that they were followers of the bandit warlord Dogo Gide, who was reportedly killed by his second-in-command in 2021 in the Kuyanbana Forest, which connects Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, and Dogon Dawa towns. The gunmen in the video allege he is still alive. To make matters worse, despite evidence and statements associating him with Al Qaeda, the government has not officially acknowledged this connection, opting to treat him as a regular bandit. What this means, in effect, is that the interplay of banditry and jihadism in Niger State, especially in Shiroro, is heavily blurred. And with less acknowledgement of the problem by the government, it is increasingly likely that if the current pace of efforts to regain control of Niger State persists, the government’s control over Nigeria’s largest state will eventually be confined to just Minna in a few years. The development of anti-aircraft weaponry and expertise capacity by armed bandits poses a grave security threat to Nigeria’s stability. This capacity could lead to attacks on civilians and military targets and cause economic disruptions and regional instability. The possibility that civilian aircraft could be targeted must be considered. Bandits could launch attacks on airports and air bases, making operating civilian aircraft more difficult and dangerous. Combatting this threat requires cracking down on the financial channels used by these terrorists. Moreover, it is essential to urge ECOWAS to address the Sahelian problem seriously. The Sahel has become a river channelling poverty, strife and unrest into other West African countries, and it has become pertinent to commit to developing the area for the sake of the entire region.