Security forces attached to the convoy of Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday repelled an ambush by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists along the Buni Gari-Gujba road in Yobe State.
The insurgents, numbering over 20 and riding on motorcycles, attempted to attack the convoy while it was returning from an official assignment. However, troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with the Police Crack Team and other security personnel, engaged the terrorists in a gun battle, neutralizing several of them.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the terrorists fled after suffering heavy casualties. “The troops responded swiftly and repelled the ambush. Many insurgents were killed, and their bodies were left behind as they retreated,” the source said.
Following the encounter, another group of ISWAP fighters, riding on 10 motorcycles, returned to the scene hours later to retrieve the bodies of their fallen comrades. “They came back to pick up their dead, possibly for burial,” the source added.
Governor Zulum was not in the convoy at the time of the attack, as he had earlier left for Maiduguri for an urgent engagement.
The attack comes amid renewed terrorist activities along highways in Yobe and Borno States, with insurgents frequently targeting travelers and security personnel.
Security forces have assured the public of continued counter-insurgency operations to dismantle terrorist hideouts and prevent further attacks.
