Suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Thursday attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Borno State, Mustapha Gubio, along the Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway.
The convoy was reportedly travelling to Mobbar Local Government Area on a thank-you visit following Gubio’s emergence as the APC consensus candidate in the party’s governorship primaries.
Sources said the attackers struck around the Kareto community at about 2:30pm, firing rocket-propelled grenades and opening sporadic gunfire on the convoy.
However, the attack was reportedly repelled by a combined team of security personnel, including soldiers, police operatives, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services personnel, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and vigilante groups.
A source who was part of the entourage described the incident as terrifying, saying the convoy came under heavy attack during the political tour of northern Borno.
“The terrorists fired several rocket-propelled grenades at our convoy, followed by sporadic shooting. Luckily, the security agencies repelled the attack,” the source said.
The source added that some police armoured vehicles were damaged during the attack, although no casualty was recorded.
Confirming the incident, Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, said police tactical operatives successfully countered the attackers along the Kareto-Damasak Road.
According to her, the suspected terrorists used improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades during the attack.
She said the security operatives forced the attackers to retreat into the surrounding bush before scanning and clearing the area for possible secondary explosive devices.
“The convoy, conveying a gubernatorial aspirant, government officials and political stakeholders, was safely evacuated to a secure location with no casualties recorded among members of the entourage,” Iniedu said.
The attack highlights the continued security challenges in parts of northern Borno, where terrorist groups have sustained attacks despite ongoing military operations in the region.