Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio.
The incident occurred on Thursday along the Gubio–Kareto–Damasak Road in the northern part of the state, while Gubio and his team were travelling to Mobbar, headquarters of Damasak Local Government Area.
The convoy was reportedly on a thank-you tour to appreciate APC members for their support following Gubio’s emergence as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.
Sources said the attackers ambushed the convoy around Kareto at about 2:30pm, firing rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and engaging the convoy in sporadic gunfire.
However, a combined team of security personnel, including soldiers, police officers, NSCDC operatives, DSS personnel, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and vigilantes, reportedly repelled the attack.
A source who escaped the incident said the attack was intense but was eventually brought under control by the security forces.
According to the source, some police armoured vehicles were damaged during the attack, but no casualty was recorded.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, confirmed the incident, saying police tactical operatives successfully countered suspected terrorists who attacked the convoy with an improvised explosive device (IED) and rocket-propelled grenades.
Iniedu said the security team forced the attackers to retreat into the surrounding bush and subsequently searched the area to neutralise possible secondary explosive threats.
He added that the convoy, which was conveying Gubio, government officials and other political stakeholders, was safely evacuated to a secure location.
“No casualties were recorded among members of the entourage,” he said.
