On Monday, a military helicopter from Nigeria that had been dispatched to the central Niger state to rescue wounded soldiers after a devastating attack had been shot at by robbers.
According to reports, an ambush in the region where the army has been battling armed groups claimed the lives of over a dozen soldiers.
At least 26 members of the Nigerian security forces were killed and eight were injured in the attack on Sunday, according to military officials cited by the AFP news agency.
However, local media in Nigeria said that the ambush had claimed at least 13 lives of soldiers.
The rescue chopper was carrying 11 of the deceased and seven of the injured when it crashed, according to the AFP news agency.
An air force spokesman said that rescue efforts and inquiries were in progress but made no mention of crash victims.
According to Edward Gabkwet, the plane had left Zungeru Primary School for Kaduna but was subsequently found to have crashed close to Chukuba Village in Niger State’s Shiroro Local Government Area.
Armed gangs are widespread in central and northwestern Nigeria, where they regularly commit robberies and kidnappings for ransom. In recent years, thousands of people have been slain in these operations.