By: Zagazola Makama
In yet another brazen act of terror, suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents launched a violent ambush on a commercial vehicle along the volatile Maiduguri-Banki road, leaving one passenger wounded and abducting a driver.
Intelligence sources confirmed to Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred on February 27 at approximately 1:15 p.m. near the deserted village of Tufa in Banki Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to Bello Abba, the driver of the Toyota Starlet vehicle (Registration Number: Adamawa JMT 944 YR), he was transporting six passengers from Maiduguri to Banki when armed militants on motorcycles suddenly emerged from the surrounding bush and opened fire on his vehicle. In a desperate bid to escape, Abba attempted a U-turn back towards Banki town. However, amid the chaos, 38-year-old Mohammed Ali Yaye, a resident of Bama town, was shot in the left leg. Meanwhile, the terrorists managed to seize another driver, whose identity remains unknown.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai were swiftly deployed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the assailants had already fled with their captive into the dense wilderness. The wounded passenger was initially stabilized at the Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) in Banki before being transferred to the General Hospital in Mora, Cameroon, for advanced medical treatment.
This latest attack underscores the persistent security threats in Nigeria’s northeastern region, where ISWAP continues to target civilians and travelers despite ongoing military operations. Authorities are intensifying efforts to track the perpetrators and secure the release of the abducted driver.
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