Boko Haram Ambushes Military, Police Convoy, Kills 2

One police officer and a Borno State government truck driver have died after Boko Haram insurgents ambushed a large convoy of travelers being escorted by security forces on Tuesday in Borno.

The officials who were in private and commercial vehicles were said to be traveling away from Maiduguri, the state capital to the southern part of Borno State, passing through the Damboa road.

The road had been closed for about two years after Boko Haram captured towns and villages along its axis, but was reopened in February 2016.

Following the attack, there were reports that the insurgents may have killed up to 9 police officers and several civilian travellers.

However, the Borno State Police Command at a press conference late Tuesday confirmed the attack, saying just one of its officer was killed.

Speaking to journalists, the state’s Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, also stated that the ambush claimed the life of a Borno State government truck driver conveying drugs to an IDP camp in Damboa.

He said a unit of soldiers who normally carry out such exercise once in a day was escorting the convoy of over 200 vehicles.

He also explained that in the convoy were 63 personnel of the Nigeria Mobile Police Force on a special duty in Askira-Uba Local Government Area in southern Borno State.

“The vehicle conveying the deployed unit who were in an 80-sitter bus, had to join the convoy of civilian travellers being escorted by the soldiers,” Mr Chukwu said.

“They started the trip around 10 a.m.; and by 11.30 we received information that they were ambushed. Suspected insurgents who were firing anti-aircraft rifle on the bus conveying the policemen ambushed the whole convoy of about 200 vehicles. They had to scamper for safety and in that process six of them were injured.

“The rest 56 of our special deployment managed to escape without any injury and their guns were intact.

“But from what we gathered, the Borno State government driver who was driving the policemen left the vehicle and ran away. The gunmen attempted to take the bus away, but later left it after ridding it with bullets.”

The military is yet to issue any statement on the incident.

Tuesday’s attack by Boko Haram comes few days after the insurgents attacked Maiduguri.