Boko Haram attacks Borno governor’s convoy

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, today survived an ambush by suspected Boko Haram gunmen, sources and his spokesperson said.

The governor was on a trip to Monguno and Baga towns to distribute food to IDPs.

A source said the governor’s convoy came under attack while he was returning from Baga, a deserted fishing community in Kaka local government area.

Multiple sources, who spoke and confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES, said the governor was unhurt as soldiers and police officers guarding him repelled the assault on the convoy.

The governor’s spokesperson, Isa Gusau, confirmed the development, telling this newspaper he was working on a press statement on the matter.

A Trip to camps

Governor Zulum left for Monguno Monday afternoon, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

But before his departure reports filtered in that some officials of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had run into an ambush by Boko Haram along the Maiduguri-Monguono road.

The attackers reportedly abducted an unknown number of humanitarian staffers of SEMA. All attempts to get details of the abductions have not yielded results.

However, the chairperson of Borno SEMA, Yabawa Kolo, confirmed to reporters on the telephone that some of the agency’s officials came under Boko Haram attack. She did not give details of the number of persons involved.

On the attack on the governor’s convoy, a government source confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that, “it happened, but I’m sorry I cannot give details on this because the relevant officials are still digging to get more details of the attack.”

“But I can assure your that the governor is unhurt, and that includes everyone in the convoy,” the source said.

Boko Haram had last week executed five aid workers over an alleged failure by the government to pay a ransom.

The executed aid workers were abducted in the first week of June along the same Maiduguri-Monguno