"...we charged through the ambush and most of our vehicles had their tires deflated or riddled with bullets"
Two days after an attack on the convoy of his officials, the
convoy of the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, was ambushed Sunday by
gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram.
The ambush occurred as the governor’s convoy was departing
Baga town in Kukawa Local Government Area.
At least 15 security personnel had died in an ambush on
Friday as a convoy of the governor was driving towards Baga town to participate
in the official relocation of IDP back to their reclaimed communities after
years of displacement.
The Friday ambush was condemned by President Muhammadu
Buhari who suggested sabotage of Mr Zulum’a efforts as governor.
Sources familiar with the latest incident said the attack happened near a village called Cross-Kauwa.
Cross-Kauwa is a few kilometres from a location called
Mile-4, where the Nigerian military has its biggest camp in that area.
“As we approached Cross-Kauwa an explosive believed to be
landmine detonated and was immediately followed with the serious firing of guns
from all sides,” said a government official who does not want to be named in
this report.
“It was so terrifying that some of the security details in
the convoy engaged in a brief moment of argument as to whether to make a U-turn
and return to Baga or we should charge through. It was later decided that we
had to forge on despite the shooting. That was how we charged through the
ambush, and most of our vehicles had their tires deflated or riddled with
bullets. We did not stop until we got to Monguno town.”
The source said there was no death from Sunday’s failed ambush.
“Thank God there was no death except some few injuries,”
another survivor, Sadiq Abubakar, said,
“About three vehicles escaped with shattered windscreens,
while the Press Crew bus conveying journalists, had flat tyres. A military gun
truck was also severely hit, while a soldier sustained a bullet wound on his
shoulder.”
The governor and his entourage have since arrived in Maiduguri.
More details of the latest incident will be provided in subsequent updates.
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