Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio, while he was travelling along the Kareto-Damasak Road.
The Punch reported that the incident occurred at about 2:30pm on Thursday as Gubio and members of his team headed to Damasak during an appreciation tour of northern Borno.
Confirming the attack on Friday, the spokesman for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said no member of the entourage was killed.
According to him, combined security forces successfully repelled the attackers, who were believed to have sustained a gunshot injury while escaping.
“Yesterday (Thursday) around 2:30pm, the convoy of the APC gubernatorial candidate was attacked along Kareto by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. No lives were lost.
“But we believe that the terrorists may have escaped with a gunshot injury,” he added.
Daso said the incident did not stop the convoy from completing its journey to Damasak.
“After the incident, the convoy proceeded,” he stressed.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, separately disclosed that the convoy included the governorship candidate, government officials and other political stakeholders.
He said police tactical operatives engaged the suspected terrorists after they attacked the convoy with an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenades.
“Police tactical operatives successfully counter-engaged suspected terrorists who attacked a convoy along the Kareto–Damasak Road with an IED and rocket-propelled grenades.”
Hundeyin explained that the security team forced the attackers to withdraw into the surrounding bush before conducting a sweep of the area to prevent any secondary explosive attack.
He added, “They were safely evacuated to a secure location with no casualties recorded among members of the entourage.”
A source who was part of the convoy told The Punch that the attack was brief but had the potential to cause casualties if security personnel had not intervened.
The source, who requested anonymity, said the attackers deployed an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenades during the assault.
“The attack happened very briefly. The atmosphere later became calm and we proceeded to our destination,” the source said.
The source added, “The insurgents were overpowered by the security team. After the attack, police scanned and cleared the area before we proceeded.”
