Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio, along the Kareto-Damasak highway in the northern part of the state.
The incident occurred at about 2:30pm on Thursday when Gubio and his team were travelling to Damasak as part of an appreciation tour of communities in the northern part of the state.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Borno State, ASP Nahum Daso, said no life was lost in the attack.
Daso said the attack was repelled by the combined efforts of security agencies.
He said, “Yesterday (Thursday), around 2:30pm, the convoy of the APC gubernatorial 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 said the incident did not stop the convoy from continuing its journey to Damasak.
“After the incident, the convoy proceeded,” he stressed.
Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Ani Iniedu, in a state-by-state executive summary of police operational successes released on Friday, said the convoy comprised the governorship candidate, government officials and political stakeholders.
According to Iniedu, “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 added that the tactical team forced the attackers to retreat into the surrounding bush and subsequently scanned and cleared the immediate axis to neutralise possible secondary explosive threats.
“They were safely evacuated to a secure location with no casualties recorded among members of the entourage,” he added.
Meanwhile, sources in the convoy told PUNCH Online that the attack happened briefly but could have been devastating without the intervention of security personnel.
According to one of the sources, who pleaded not to be identified, the terrorists launched the attack using an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenades.
“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.”