The convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio, has been ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the incident occurred on Thursday evening as Gubio and his entourage were returning to Maiduguri after a thank-you visit to Damasak, a border town in northern Borno, sources said.
Damasak is located about 190 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the insurgents planted landmines along the Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway.
According to the source, a police armoured vehicle leading the convoy ran over one of the explosive devices, triggering a blast.
“We entered Damasak safely and spent about 40 minutes there. On our way back, the insurgents planted mines on the road, and the armoured vehicle that led the convoy drove over it and exploded,” the source said.
Following the explosion, the terrorists reportedly attempted to ambush the convoy.
However, a combined team of security operatives comprising the military, police and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) responded and engaged the attackers in a gunfight.
“We had to park and take positions, waiting for the remaining vehicles in the convoy to arrive. In the course of waiting, we noticed the movement of the insurgents and swiftly engaged them,” the source added.
The security operatives reportedly repelled the attack and prevented further damage or casualties involving the main convoy.
However, the police armoured vehicle suffered severe damage in the explosion.
