The convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Borno State, Engr. Mustapha Gubio, was reportedly ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Thursday evening.
This development occurred along the Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway as Gubio and his entourage were returning to Maiduguri after a thank-you visit to Damasak, a border town in northern Borno State.
Damasak is located about 190 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.
According to a security source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attackers allegedly planted landmines along the highway, with a police armoured vehicle leading the convoy triggering one of the explosives.
“We entered Damasak safely and spent about 40 minutes there. On our way back, the insurgents planted mines on the road, and the armoured vehicle that led the convoy drove over it and exploded,” the source said.
The explosion was reportedly followed by an attempted ambush as the insurgents opened an attack on the convoy.
Security operatives comprising military personnel, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) reportedly engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to retreat.
The source said the security team had to take defensive positions after the blast while waiting for other vehicles in the convoy to arrive.
“We had to park and take positions, waiting for the remaining vehicles in the convoy to arrive. In the course of waiting, we noticed the movement of the insurgents and swiftly engaged them,” the source added.
The combined security team reportedly succeeded in repelling the attack and preventing further damage to the main convoy.
However, the police armoured vehicle that triggered the explosive device was said to have been severely damaged in the blast.
The Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway is considered one of the most dangerous routes in northern Borno because of the activities of insurgents and the persistent threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and ambushes.
The route is also strategically important to insurgents operating around the Lake Chad region, with security sources saying it provides access towards Alagarno, the Sambisa Forest and parts of Yobe State.
The latest incident has once again highlighted the security challenges confronting political activities and campaign movements in Borno State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It also brings back memories of the assassination of Modu Fannami Gubio, an ANPP governorship candidate, who was shot dead by gunmen in Maiduguri in January 2011.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Borno State Police Command were unsuccessful as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nahum Kenneth Daso, reportedly did not answer calls or respond to text messages sent to his phone.
The security agencies had not publicly confirmed the reported attack at the time of filing this report.
