Suspected terrorists attack convoy of Borno APC governorship candidate

Suspected Boko Haram or ISWAP militants attacked the convoy of Mustapha Gubio, the All Progressives Congress candidate for governor of Nigeria’s Borno State, as it travelled toward Damasak.

The attack took place at about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday along the Kareto-Damasak Road during Gubio’s appreciation tour of northern Borno. Borno police spokesman ASP Nahum Daso said no member of the entourage was killed and that combined security forces repelled the attackers. He added that the militants may have escaped with a gunshot injury.

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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.

Police Force spokesman CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said the convoy included Gubio, government officials and political stakeholders. Tactical officers counter-engaged the attackers after they used an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing them to retreat into nearby bush. Officers then scanned and cleared the area to guard against secondary explosive threats.

The convoy was safely evacuated to a secure location and later continued its journey. An anonymous source travelling with the group described the attack as brief but said it could have caused casualties without the security response. “The atmosphere later became calm and we proceeded to our destination,” the source said.

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The attack happened very briefly. The atmosphere later became calm and we proceeded to our destination.