Boko Haram Unleashes Terror on Borno Guber Candidate's Convoy
The convoy of Borno APC governorship candidate, Mustapha Gubio, survived a fierce ambush by suspected Boko Haram terrorists along the Kareto-Damasak Road. Security forces successfully repelled the attack, which involved IEDs and rocket-propelled grenades, ensuring no casualties among the entourage despite significant damage to a police armoured vehicle.
The convoy of Engr. Mustapha Gubio, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Borno State, was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred along the notoriously volatile Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway, as Gubio and his entourage, which included government officials and political stakeholders, were returning from a thank-you visit to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area in northern Borno. This visit was part of an appreciation tour following Gubio's emergence as the party's consensus candidate.
The attack, which security sources indicated began around 2:30 PM, involved sophisticated methods. Insurgents had strategically planted landmines along the highway. A police armoured vehicle, leading the convoy, unfortunately ran over one of these improvised explosive devices (IEDs), triggering a significant blast. Following the explosion, the terrorists escalated their assault, firing rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and opening fire with sporadic gunshots at the convoy, attempting to launch a full ambush.
However, the combined security forces attached to the convoy swiftly and decisively responded. This formidable team comprised military personnel, police tactical operatives, members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, as well as members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and vigilante groups. They counter-engaged the attackers in a fierce gunfight, successfully repelling the ambush and forcing the terrorists to retreat into the surrounding bush.
Despite the intensity of the assault, all members of Gubio's entourage were safely evacuated to a secure location, and no casualties or lives were lost. While the main convoy remained secure, the police armoured vehicle that struck the IED suffered severe destruction. Other police vehicles also sustained damage during the attack. After the immediate threat was neutralized and the area scanned and cleared to guard against secondary explosive devices, the convoy was able to continue its journey.
The Borno State Police Command, through its spokesmen ASP Nahum Daso and DSP Nahum Kenneth Daso, confirmed the incident, emphasizing that no lives were lost. Force Public Relations Officers CSP Benjamin Hundeyin and Ani Iniedu further corroborated the account, detailing how police tactical operatives successfully counter-engaged the terrorists and secured the convoy. It was also noted that one of the attackers might have sustained a gunshot injury during the engagement.
This incident starkly underscores the persistent security challenges faced by political figures and travelers in Borno State. The Gubio-Kareto-Damasak route is well-known for its volatility, serving as a critical transit corridor for Boko Haram insurgents moving between their Lake Chad enclaves, Alagarma, the Sambisa Forest, and parts of Yobe State. Its strategic importance for terrorist logistics and movement has cemented its status as one of the most perilous zones in the ongoing insurgency. The ambush also evokes memories of past political violence in the region, notably the tragic January 2011 assassination of Modu Fannami Gubio, a former governorship candidate in Maiduguri.