As the nation continues to mourn dozens of military personnel who died in an ambush laid by bandits in Niger State last week and the crash of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter conveying wounded officers and men that followed, it has been revealed that about 400 villages in neighbouring Zamfara State are under bandits’ siege.

National Missioner, Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Abdurrahman Ahmad, led a delegation of Islamic scholars from Nigeria to meet the Niger junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, as part of the efforts to peacefully resolve the efforts to restore President Mohamed Bazoum who was toppled on July 26, 2023.

“They called on the youth to respond to a possible attack on our soil. And we are ready for any attack,” said blogger Tahirou Seydou Abdoul Nassirou. “My life, I give my life to my country,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari also expressed his “heartfelt condolences” with Nigeria over the death of men of the Armed Forces in Niger state.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have met to discuss a joint defence strategy in response to the announcement by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS military intervention in the coup.