Apr. 22, 2014
BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI
Suspected gunmen of Boko Haram sect shot dead the Kala/Balge council chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Modu Janga; and its Youths Leader, Alhaji Abba near Mafa town on the Maiduguri-Dikwa road by 11am Monday.
The APC duo officials were returning to Gudumbali from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, when their vehicle was ambushed near Mafa town.
According to an eyewitness and resident of Mafa, Babagana Usman mafa, said “the insurgents blocked the road with wood and tree branches, before identify occupants of the vehicle and shot dead two persons at the spot, and fled towards Dikwa, a border town with Cameroon.
“The party chairman along with other passengers in the ambushed vehicle, were first stopped by flagging down the driver for identification, before three gunmen on motorcycles shot dead two people at close range; and fled towards Dikwa,” Usmani said in a telephone chat Tuesday in Maiduguri.
He said the gunmen did not rob the party officials, as their vehicle was abandoned at the scene of the incident, adding that the road was also closed for two hours by soldiers and policemen prevent further attacks.
On whether other vehicles were ambushed during the attack, he said: “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.”
Our correspondent also learnt that Mafa town was attacked three times this year, destroying several public buildings, vehicles and houses along with people’s lives, including three policemen and a soldier.
Council chairman of Kala/Balge, Alhaji Alifa Bukar Rann also yesterday in Maiduguri at the Government House confirmed the incident. He said “two officials of APC were shot dead near Mafa town while returning to Gudumbali for party official engagements”.
When contacted for confirmation over the incident yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Gideon Jibrin’s phone number could not be reached, 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 prevent further attacks”.
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