Borno APC gov candidate escapes death as terrorists ambush convoy

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio, narrowly escaped death when terrorists attacked his convoy along the Kareto-Damasak highway in the northern part of the state.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the convoy was attacked with an IED and rocket-propelled grenades around 2:30pm on Thursday.

Gubio and his team were said to be visiting Damasak as part of an appreciation tour across the state.

Sources in the convoy described the incident as brief but said it could have been devastating if the security agents were unable to repel the attack.

“The attack happened very briefly. The atmosphere later became calm and we proceeded to our destination,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

“The insurgents were overpowered by the security team. After the attack, police scanned and cleared the area before we proceeded,” another person in the convoy told our correspondent on Friday.

A security agent in the convoy disclosed that an Armoured Personnel Carrier, which was later destroyed in the attack, prevented the terrorists from advancing towards the security team during the intense gunfire.

“When they were advancing fast towards us, the Armoured Personnel Carrier, which was at the forefront of the vehicle, provided cover. It was later burnt by an IED that it stepped on. However, there was no casualty,” he said.

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Confirming the incident on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Borno Command, Nahum Daso, said no life was lost in the attack.

He also confirmed that the attack was repelled by the combined efforts of security agencies.

“On Thursday, around 2:30pm, the convoy of the APC governorship candidate was attacked along Kareto by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. No life was lost. But we believe that the terrorists may have escaped with gunshot injuries,” he added.

The police spokesman also confirmed that the incident did not stop the convoy from moving to its destination.

Similarly, the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, in a state-by-state executive summary of police operational successes on Friday, said the convoy consisted of the governorship candidate, government officials and political stakeholders.

“Police tactical operatives successfully counter-engaged suspected terrorists who attacked a convoy along the Kareto–Damasak Road with an IED and rocket-propelled grenades,” he said.

Iniedu added that the tactical team forced the terrorists to retreat into the surrounding bush and subsequently scanned and cleared the immediate axis to neutralise secondary explosive threats.

“They were safely evacuated to a secure location with no casualties recorded among members of the entourage,” he added.