Boko Haram terrorists on Sunday used a donkey strapped with explosives to ambush the convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum as he was returning from Baga to Maiduguri.
According to reports, Zulum had departed Baga around 10:30am, as suspected Boko Haram terrorists were said to have opened fire on his convoy.
Sunday’s attack came two days after he had survived another attack while travelling to an area near Lake Chad.
At least 18 people were killed in that ambush, among them were 14 police officers and soldiers and four civilians.
What happened in Sunday’s attack?
Governor Zulum was returning from Baga where he had accompanied hundreds of residents who returned to the town they fled in 2014 following deadly jihadist attacks.
When soldiers saw the donkey on the road, they shot at it. Explosives then went off and the militants immediately came out from their hide-out to open fire on the convoy, an official who was in one of the vehicles in Governor Zulum’s convoy told the BBC.
A number of insurgents were killed in the ensuing shoot-out. No-one in the convoy – including the governor – was injured but some vehicles were damaged by bullets, the official said.