Boko Haram ambush passengers along Maiduguri-Damaturu road

Suspected members of dreaded Boko Haram sect on Friday evening laid ambush along 125km Maiduguri -Damaturu, which claimed 5 lives with an unspecified number of motorists and passengers abducted, after looting foodstuff and properties.

The incident according to one of the anonymous survivors who was shot in the leg and now receiving treatment at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) said the incident took place at about 5pm on Friday.

“We were coming from Abuja to spend the Christmas with my family, unfortunately in between Jakana- Auno village near Maiduguri, we stormed into Boko Haram ambush who opened fire sporadically at different directions, targeting any vehicle which declined to stop.

“Although, in the commercial vehicle we were using, our driver manoeuvred to escape the scene, but the insurgents opened fire and killed two occupants, while I was lucky only to sustain a fracture in my leg due to stray bullets”. He said.

Our Correspondent reports that the security situation along Maiduguri-Damaturu road, especially around Auno which is about 10km drive from Maiduguri, Jakana, Mainok and other communities situated along the road is worrisome at this critical time when people travel for the yelutide.

All effort to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Okon proved abortive at press time, but a security source confirmed the incident, insisting that dozens of people were abducted with killing of five persons and injuring many others on Friday near Jakana village.