The Defence Headquarters has begun a thorough search for the hoodlums that attacked the convoy of the Yobe state Governor, Mai Mala Buni.
According to The PUNCH, the Director, Defence Media Operation, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday night.
The Governor’s convoy was heading to Damaturu from Maiduguri when the terrorist stormed the vehicles in the convoy.
Meanwhile, the Governor was not in the convoy, top government officials like the Secretary to Yobe State Government, Baba Wali, and Special Adviser on Religious Affairs among others traveled with the convoy.
In the statement, Buba made it clear that it took the intervention of troops from the 29 Task Force Brigade who were on patrol duty to rescue the victims and recover the two vehicles affected in the incident.
He said the security personnel in the convoy who were injured during the incident include one military truck driver, four police escorts, and one DSS operative.
The statement read, “On November 18, 2023, at about 18:30hrs, the convoy and escorts of the executive governor of Yobe state that were returning to Damaturu from Maiduguri encountered terrorists ambush attack at a location about six kilometers from Benesheikh town which is along road 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; Department of State Services Operatives and Members of Yobe state hunters group
“Troops of 29 Task Force Brigade on patrol duty and route piquetting along road Maiduguri to Damaturu promptly moved to the scene and assisted in the extrication of the victims and 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. ”
The army spokespsrson stated further that one of the injured police officers died after getting to the hospital in Damaturu.
He said the troops from 29 Task Force led by their Commander are conducting fighting patrols in the area where the incident occurred to locate the terrorists.
Buba then vowed that the terrorists would be found and destroyed.
He added, “Unfortunately, one of the injured police escorts died shortly on arrival at the Specialist hospital in Damaturu.
“Reinforcement of troops from 29 Task Force Brigade led by the Brigade Commander are conducting a fighting patrol in the area to locate the terrorists who carried out the dastardly act. The two vehicles affected in the incident include one MRAP and one civilian escort vehicle whose tyres were shot at during the incident but both vehicles have been safely recovered to the military camp at Benisheikh.
“The injured victims have also been successfully evacuated to the specialists’ hospital Damaturu where they are currently receiving treatment while the corpse of the deceased police personnel has also been deposited in the mortuary of the same hospital.
“Operations are ongoing to hunt and destroy the terrorist that perpetrated the attack.”
