Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd), narrowly avoided death on Friday after his convoy came under a heavy gunfire attack in Borno State. The attack, believed to be carried out by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, has further increased fears about the worsening insecurity in the region.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday evening, the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Senator Ali Ndume, said that the retired army general and his accompanying soldiers were ambushed close to a frontline military base.
Even though details on casualties still remain sketchy, Ndume revealed that a deadly exchange of gunfire ensued between the attackers and the troops escorting Tukur Buratai.
According to him, the North is currently experiencing a dire security situation, and while Gen. Tukur’s men responded bravely, the insurgents destroyed various military assets.
“We are in a dire security situation. Just two days ago, Buratai was attacked at the front operations base in Borno.
His team responded gallantly, but the insurgents managed to destroy several military assets,” he said.
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The terrorists reportedly targeted top-class equipment, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPVs), tanks, and machine guns.
He concluded by saying that the insurgents not only destroyed vital assets, but they also stole key weaponry and equipment.
“The situation in Borno is deteriorating rapidly.
Insurgents now move freely, torching and stealing military equipment. It is becoming a full-blown crisis.
All six geopolitical zones are experiencing security challenges to varying degrees.
Even in the South-South, we are grappling with economic sabotage like oil theft. At this point, the South-West appears to be the only relatively safe region,” he said.
