Boko Haram Sets 3 Vehicles Ablaze, Abducts Drivers In Borno

Boko Haram insurgents struck again, Monday, on a highway in Borno State, razing down two trucks loaded with oranges and a Toyota Hilux vehicle, after abducting their drivers.

The ambush was on the now dreaded Maiduguri-Damboa- Biu road, which has witnessed a series of highway raids resulting in the killing of several persons.

It was gathered that the attack occurred a few kilometres from Limanti/ Bullabulin Ngarwa communities where a series of deadly road attacks masterminded by Boko Haram sect had taken place in recent times.

Speaking to journalists in Maiduguri, a commercial driver who narrowly escaped the attack, Mallam Musa Usman, said the insurgents seized the highway at about 9am.

According to him, some suspected members of the notorious sect were seen driving from their enclave in the Sambisa Game Forest to the highway and on getting to the highway, they barricaded the road and blocked off other vehicles.

“They set ablaze three vehicles including a truck loaded with oranges,” he said.

Usman added that immediately he reached the scene, shortly after the attack, he saw the terrorists ordering the abducted drivers into their vehicles, which made him to make an immediate U-turn and made his way back to Maiduguri.

“I have to thank God for sparing my life with two of my children who I was taking to Biu for the Christmas Holiday after finishing their exams last week,” he said.

He noted that he had even encountered two different security check-points before almost falling into the hands of the Boko Haram members.

“But as God would have it, I sighted an unusual happening along the road, just a few metres to the scene, which made me to immediately put my vehicle into reverse gear, before making U-turn back to Maiduguri,” he said.

The spokesman of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel Mohammed Dole, who confirmed the incident, declined further comments, adding that details of the attack are still sketchy.