Troops of the Nigerian Army has initiated a manhunt for the terrorists who assaulted Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni’s convoy.
Chronicle NG reports that the convoy was heading to Damaturu from Maiduguri when the terrorist ambushed the vehicles in the convoy.
Despite the absence of the governor, prominent government officials such as the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Wali, and the Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, among others, traveled with the convoy.
Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director, Defense Media Operation, revealed in a statement on Sunday night that it needed the involvement of troops from the 29 Task Force Brigade who were on patrol duty to rescue the victims and recover the two vehicles involved in the tragedy.
According to him, among the security personnel injured in the convoy were one military vehicle driver, four police escorts, and one DSS operative.
The statement read, “On November 18, 2023, at about 18:30 hrs, the convoy and escorts of the executive governor of Yobe State that were returning to Damaturu from Maiduguri encountered a terrorist ambush attack at a location about six kilometers from Benesheikh town, which is along the Maiduguri to Damaturu road.
“The governor was not in the convoy. However, government officials in the convoy at the time of the incident include the following: the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Wali; the Special Adviser on Religious Affairs; the military escorts with two mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and three Toyota gun trucks; police escorts; the Department of State Services Operatives; and members of the Yobe State Hunters Group.
“Troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade on patrol duty and route piqued along the road from Maiduguri to Damaturu promptly moved to the scene and assisted in the extrication of the victims, recovery of the victims, and recovery of the two vehicles affected in the incident. The security personnel in the convoy who were affected during the incident included one military truck driver, four police escorts, and one DSS operative who all sustained gunshot wounds but were in stable condition.”
Buba stated that one of the injured police officers died after being taken to Damaturu’s hospital.
He stated that troops from the 29 Task Force, led by their commander, are conducting combat patrols in the region where the event occurred in order to locate the terrorists.
Buba pledged that the terrorists would be apprehended and killed by the troops.
“Unfortunately, one of the injured police escorts died shortly on arrival at the Specialist Hospital in Damaturu.
“Reinforcement of troops from the 29 Task Force Brigade led by the Brigade Commander is conducting a fighting patrol in the area to locate the terrorists who carried out the dastardly act. The two vehicles affected by the incident include one MRAP and one civilian escort vehicle, whose tires were shot at during the incident, but both vehicles have been safely recovered at the military camp at Benisheikh.
“The injured victims have also been successfully evacuated to the specialists’ hospital in Damaturu, where they are currently receiving treatment, while the corpses of the deceased police personnel have also been deposited in the mortuary of the same hospital.
“Operations are ongoing to hunt and destroy the terrorist that perpetrated the attack,” the statement added.
