Three policemen and two drivers have been declared missing after suspected members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, attacked the convoy of Gwoza Local Government chairman, Hamman Ahmadu, where two vehicles were also destroyed.
It was learnt that the chairman and his convoy ran into an ambush by the sect members at a blown-up bridge on the Bama-Gwoza road at about 4.35pm on Monday.
Narrating the incident to journalists in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Mallam Baba, a driver attached to Borno State Government House, Maiduguri, said the convoy was surrounded by several gunmen as it got to the bridge.
He said, “On reaching the bridge, after returning from Gwoza Township and Barawa village on an official visit, we were surrounded by several gunmen at the destroyed Firgi Bridge.
They shot sporadic from all directions. Three drivers were able to make a U-turn and escaped while two other vehicles, including my Hilux vehicle, were abandoned; I had to crawl for about 300 metres to escape from the insurgents.”
On casualties of the attack, Baba said, “It is only God that saved our lives yesterday evening (Monday), including the council chairman, which was in the fifth vehicle in the convoy; before we were ambushed at the bridge. Three policemen are missing and two other drivers of the convoy. Up to the time I am speaking to you; the five people in the attacked convoy are yet to be found, 20 hours after we were attacked.”
