One Policeman Killed, Four Escorts, One DSS Operative, Others Shot in Buni’s Convoy Attack

•DHQ launches manhunt for terrorists

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

One policeman was killed while four police escorts, one  operative of the Department of State Security (DSS) and a military truck driver, were among those shot when terrorists attacked the convoy of  Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, on Saturday.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Mallam Wali, Special Adviser on Security to the governor, Brigadier-General Dahiru Abdulsalam (rtd) and the special adviser on religious affairs survived the gruesome attack.

Following the development, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, said it had launched a manhunt for the terrorists, who attacked the governor’s convoy.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward Buba, said the governor was not in the convoy at the time of the attack.

It said officials of government and military escorts were, however, in the convoy, when the terrorists launched a vicious attack on the governor’s convoy.

“On November 18, 2023, at around 6.30pm, the convoy and escorts of the Governor of Yobe State that were returning to Damaturu from Maiduguri encountered terrorists ambush attack at a location about 6 kms 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, Secretary to Yobe State government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, Special Adviser on Security to the governor, Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam (rtd), special adviser on religious affairs, the military escorts with two Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and three Toyota gun trucks, police escorts, Department of State Services operatives and members of Yobe State hunters group,” it said.

Buba, in the statement, explained that the “troops of 29 Task Force Brigade on patrol duty and route piquetting along the road from Maiduguri to Damaturu promptly moved to the scene and assisted in the extrication of the victims and recovery of the two vehicles affected in the incident.”

He said 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 conditions.

“Unfortunately, one of the injured police escorts died shortly on arrival at the Specialists Hospital in Damaturu. Reinforcement of troops from 29 Task Force Brigade led by the brigade commander are conducting fighting patrol in the area to locate the terrorists, who carried out the dastardly act.

“The two vehicles affected in the incident include one military 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 Specialist 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,” Buba said.