Thirty confirmed dead in a fresh attack on Borno Governor’s convoy

…as another Army Colonel killed by bandits

Maureen Ogbuokiri with agency reports

No less than 30 people mostly security agents, who were in the convoy of Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, have now died after an attack by Boko Haram terrorists.

Two sources told AFP on Saturday that the number of fatalities from the attack on Friday had doubled as more bodies were found.

The victims include 12 policemen, five soldiers, four members of a government-backed militia and nine civilians.

Friday’s attack which is the second on the governor’s convoy in less than two months happened along the Baga Highway in the Northern part of the state when the party was heading to Baga town ahead of government’s planned return of internally displaced persons from Maiduguri.

This came as a Nigerian Army colonel, M.Z Manu, has been killed by bandits in Unguwar Doka Village under Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

SaharaReporters reported that the colonel and some soldiers, who were on routine patrol, ran into an ambush by the bandits, which led to his death.

Two other soldiers and some civilians were also killed by the gunmen.

A security source said the bandits, armed with AK-47 rifles, invaded the village on motorcycles before launching the deadly attack.

The killing of Manu happened five days after another, colonel, D.C. Bako, was killed in a Boko Haram ambush in Borno State.

Katsina State had in recent months been grappling with security challenges posed by kidnappers, bandits and rustlers.