Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Northeast, Nigeria, have expressed heartfelt condolences, as he mourns the demise of some fellow citizens following an unfortunate ambush of some vehicles in his convoy by suspected insurgents on evening of Tuesday, February 12, 2019 along the road to Gamboru, headquarters of Ngala local government area.
Meanwhile the Governor is expecting full security briefing to get accurate information on the incident, but preliminary report on Wednesday, confirmed the killing of three persons during the attack. Tuesday’s incident happened while the Governor was on his way to Gamboru in continuation of campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections coming up on Saturday.
The Governor had left Maiduguri on Tuesday morning and stopped for campaigns in Mafa and Dikwa Local Government Areas before heading to Gamboru where he passed the night and returned to Maiduguri on Wednesday.
He had on Monday traveled to Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in northern Borno. Before then, he had previously held campaigns in most parts of northern Borno including Monguno where he spent the night.
The governor had also been to all the nine local government areas of southern Borno including Chibok, Gwoza, Askira-Uba and Biu where he spent days.
According to Issah Gusau, Special Adviser on Communications and Strategies, “The unfortunate incident will not make the Governor have doubt in the capacity of the gallant and patriotic personnel of the Nigerian armed forces who have dedicated their lives fighting Boko Haram for peace and the freedom of Borno people.
“The Governor has absolute confidence in the armed forces and given his access to raw updates, he is aware of the successes being recorded by the armed forces despite Tuesday’s and previous attacks by the insurgents. For one success recorded by the insurgents, the armed forces record dozens against them,” he said.
Gusau said the Governor remains optimistic and urges citizens to be calm, prayerful and supportive of the Nigerian army.
Meanwhile, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack on the convoy of Governor Kashim Shettima near the town of Dikwa on Tuesday.
The group, in a statement on its Amaq news agency, said that 42 people were killed in the attack on the Borno governor.
