Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has visited Niger State, following the killing of soldiers by bandits in an ambush on Sunday.

A Nigerian Air Force helicopter also crashed in the Shiroro area of the state on Monday, with bandits taking credit for it.

Lagbaja, during his visit to the Forward Operating Base Erena in the Shiroro LGA, ordered immediate reinforcement of troops with equipment to enhance their operational effectiveness.

Urging troops to be more resolute in bringing the nation’s adversaries to their knees, Lagbaja said reclaiming the territories being occupied by the bandits was a task that must be done.

Encouraging the troops, he said, “Protecting lives and defending your nation is the noblest service anyone can offer. You are, therefore, in the noble profession of arms and must not allow your morale to dwindle.

“We must defeat the adversaries of our people and take back every inch of space where they are hibernating in our land.”

Lagbaja assured the troops that he would do all within available resources to give military personnel and their families the best in terms of welfare.

This is contained in a statement made available by Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu.