How soldiers held Borno deputy governor hostage, threatened to kill him in Yobe

Some aggrieved soldiers have reportedly held the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Durkwa, to ransom at a military checkpoint in Yobe state while they insulted and threatened to kill him.

According to TheCable, the incident occurred in Buni Gari town in Gujiba local government area of Yobe.

The deputy governor was said to be returning from Adamawa state, where he had attended the turbaning ceremony of Martins Babale, his Adamawa counterpart.

The ceremony took place in Ganye local government area of Adamawa.

However, Durkwa’s convoy reportedly ran into the military checkpoint, where no soldier was in sight.

A policeman attached to the deputy governor was attempting to remove the barricade on the road when the military personnel started coming out from different directions.

The soldiers were said to have started manhandling the policeman, asking him who gave him the order to dismantle the barricade.

One of the soldiers was said to have used the butt of his gun to hit the policeman on the head.

The Deputy governor alighted from the vehicle to join his security team after about 15 minutes of the ensuing drama, but the soldiers were said to have refused to accord him the respect that he deserves.

A source told the newspaper, “The soldiers took positions from different directions, aiming at the convoy, with the threat to open fire.

“The soldiers pointed Ak47 riffle, anti-aircraft guns and one of them pointed a rocket propeller.

“The deputy governor, having seen what was going on, after they had denied him access for about 15 minutes, came down from his vehicle to interfere, but instead of showing him respect, the soldiers became more lawlessness.

“They said they don’t care about his office. They insulted and called him all sort of names. One of the soldiers, who pointed a gun at him, called him a bloody civilian and political thief. They said they won’t lose anything killing the deputy.”

According to the source it took the intervention of a senior military official before the situation was brought under control.

However, the Spokesperson of the army in Yobe, Kayode Ogunsanya, said he could not confirm the development because he was not in the state.

“I don’t have that information. I am currently in Jos for a programme.”