Suspected Boko Haram Militants Shoot 2 APC Politicians Dead

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists have shot dead the Kala/Balge council chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Modu Janga and the party’s youth leader, Alhaji Abba near Mafa town on the Maiduguri-Dikwa Road according to a Vanguard report.

The deceased were returning to Gudumbali from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, when their vehicle was ambushed near Mafa town.

According to a resident of Mafa, who was an eyewitness, Babagana Usman Mafa, “the insurgents blocked the road with wood and tree branches, after identifying occupants of the vehicle, the gunmen shot them on the spot, and fled towards Dikwa, a border town with Cameroon.

The deceased persons were not robbed as their vehicle was abandoned at the scene of the incident and the road was closed for two hours by soldiers and policemen to prevent further attacks.

“These gunmen could have targeted the APC officials returning to the council area of Kala/Balge, before they were ambushed on that road leading to Gudumbali, the council headquarters.” The eyewitness said, while explaining that the attackers did not attack any other vehicle before the fled.

Council chairman of Kala/Balge, Alhaji Alifa Bukar Rann confirmed the incident, yesterday, in Maiduguri. He said: “Two officials of APC were shot dead near Mafa town while returning to Gudumbali for party official engagements”.

When contacted for confirmation of the incident, the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Gideon Jibrin’s could not be reached by telephone but a security source who is not authorized to speak on the matter said, “armed hoodlums ambushed a vehicle on Dikwa Road on Monday; and two people were feared dead, before the security agents closed the road for two hours to prevent further attacks”.