The convoy of Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, has again been attacked by Boko Haram terrorists.
The advanced team of the governor was on Saturday attacked by the insurgents at Ja’alta along Gajiram to Monguno Road, killing seven soldiers and members of Civilian-JTF, reports say.
The convoy was attacked by the insurgents on their way to Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area as a security detail to the Borno State governor spending two days in the town with other government officials for the distribution of food items to displaced persons who have recently settled.
According to reports, the governor along with some top government officials had earlier flown to the town by helicopter.
“We were attacked by the gunmen who came with about six trucks and seven motorcycles. We engaged them but they have already destabilised.
“We had no option than to abort the trip and returned back to Maiduguri with corpses of the deceased. About seven people died immediately but two of my colleagues (soldiers) died from gunshot injuries when we got back to Maiduguri,” a soldier attached to the governor said.
Nine security personnel in the advance team were killed in a fierce battle with the insurgents.
Saturday’s attack makes it the third attack on Governor Zulum in Baga in only three months.
His convoy had also been attacked in September twice along the Baga Highway.
It is believed that a splinter of Boko Haram sect, the Islamic State of West Africa Province, has a stronghold in the area.
Over 50,000 people have been killed from the decade-long insurgency, with over two million displaced from their homes.
Majority of the displaced persons are sheltered and fed by international charities in squalid camps.
