The convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum was attacked by armed men on Friday, September 25 on its way to Baga, leaving several persons dead, including ten policemen, four soldiers and four civilians. According to Major General John Enenche, Co-ordinator of Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, the fatalities resulted from the explosion of multiple improvised explosive devices planted on the road by the assailants. Less than 48 hours later, on Sunday, September 27, another attack was launched on the governor’s motorcade in Monguno, on its way back to Maiduguri, the State capital but no casualty was reported.
This will be the fourth attack on the governor within one year, with the last one occurring two months ago. Observers perceive this as an attempt to frustrate the governor’s efforts to relocate over 3,000 internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in various Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State, including the fishing community of Baga in Kukawa LGA, where his convoy was ambushed in July 2020. It will be recalled that following the last attack on Governor Zulum, he alleged sabotage within the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency and questioned the identity of persons behind the attack.
Borno State has been the hardest hit in the Boko Haram insurgency plaguing the country, which has displaced over 2 million persons from their homes and communities, in addition to thousands of lives lost. Governor Zulum recently stated that feeding Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) was not sustainable; hence his efforts to have them returned to their communities to rebuild their homes. However, aid groups working in the area are concerned that the returnees will be exposed to security risks.