Some survivors of the Tuesday morning ambush on a convoy of dozens of vehicles under armed escort have narrated their woes blaming the security agencies for poor preparation.

The survivors also confirmed that 16 women were among those kidnapped by Boko Haram after the ambush.

The ambush. at about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, was on a large convoy of commercial, private and government vehicles travelling from Maiduguri to the southern part of Borno State, passing through Damboa.

Armed escort of soldiers is often required to travel through the recently reopened Maiduguri-Biu federal highway.

The road, which also has a link to the gates of Sambisa forest, had been closed for about two years after Boko Haram captured towns and villages along its axis. It was only opened for commercial motorists in February 2016.

But since its opening, Boko Haram gunmen have staged several attacks on vehicles plying the road.

The latest of such attacks was that of Tuesday morning, which occurred at Abbari-Dalwa village located about 30km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

THE CASUALTY

Borno State Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, had in a press briefing informed journalists that two people were killed during the ambush. The casualty has now been confirmed to be at least three.

In a telephone interview, Borno State Commissioner of Health, Haruna Mshelia, said of the three trucks conveying drugs and related items to the health facilities in Damboa and Chibok, only one was able to escape and make it to its destination.

“It was indeed a sad development; but it is one of those hazards that one confronts in situations like this,” he said.

“We lost the driver who was shot at during the attack and one other person with the driver who tried to take over the steering before he too was shot at and the vehicle summersaulted.

It was confirmed from a security personnel who witnessed the incident that the second person referred to by the health commissioner was an escort soldier in the vehicle.

The police commissioner had on Tuesday confirmed that a police sergeant, Bala Tiiseh, was also among those killed; thus bringing the casualty to three.

The Nigerian military is yet to issue any statement on the attack.

Mr. Mshelia also said the driver of the second truck who could not manoeuvre an escape with his truck amidst the confusion, had to flee leaving his vehicle behind.

“The insurgents took the second vehicle away, but the soldiers are still trying to trace and rescue the vehicle,” he said.

“But the driver of the second vehicle has since arrived Maiduguri safely, while the third vehicle conveying drugs to Chibok got to its destination safely as well.”

PT