Gunmen kill two APC officials in Borno highway ambush

Two politicians from Borno State have been killed by suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect in an highway ambush in the troubled state.It was gathered from sources that the two politicians -the Kala/Balge Local Government chairman of All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Modu Janga; and the Youths Leader, Alhaji Abba, were shot dead by suspected Boko Haram insurgents near Mafa town on the Maiduguri-Dikwa road around11am on Monday.The duo were said to be returning to Gudumbali after attending a political meeting in Maiduguri, theBorno state capital. The vehicle conveying them was ambushed by the hoodlums near Mafa town.According to an eyewitness and resident of Mafa, Fogu Fannami, the insurgents barricaded the road with wood and tree branches, and on identifying the two APC chiefs, shot them dead on the spot, and subsequently fled towards Dikwa, a border town with Cameroon.Residents of Mafa, who spoke to journalists on thetelephone, said, “The party chairman along with other passengers in the ambushed vehicle, were first flagged down by the insurgents, who demanded for identification, they were shot dead after they were identified to be politicians.”Fannami, speaking on the telephone to journalists on Tuesday, said, “Three gunmen on motorcycles shot dead two people at close range; and fled towards Dikwa.”He claimed that 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 to 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 onthat road leading to Gudumbali, the council headquarters.”The Council chairman of Kala/Balge, Alhaji Alifa Rann, at Government House, Maiduguri, on Tuesday confirmed the incident to journalists.He said two officials of APC were shot dead near Mafa town while returning to Gudumbali for party official engagements.