An APC governorship campaign convoy in Borno State came under attack by suspected Boko Haram insurgents after a police armoured vehicle reportedly triggered a landmine along the Gubio-Kareto-Damasak road.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening as the convoy of the party’s governorship candidate, Engr. Mustapha Gubio, was returning to Maiduguri from Damasak, where the candidate had visited the border community for a thank-you engagement.
Daily Trust reported that security source familiar with the incident said suspected insurgents had planted explosive devices along the highway before the convoy passed through the area.
According to the source reported by Trust said the armoured police vehicle leading the convoy struck one of the mines, causing a powerful explosion that severely damaged the vehicle.
“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 blast was reportedly followed by an attempt by the insurgents to attack the convoy directly.
Security personnel accompanying Gubio, including soldiers, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), reportedly took defensive positions and engaged the attackers.
“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 said.
The security response reportedly forced the attackers to retreat, preventing them from inflicting further damage on the main convoy.
No casualties were immediately reported among Gubio and members of his entourage, although the police armoured vehicle sustained extensive damage from the explosion.
The attack occurred along a section of Borno that has remained vulnerable to insurgent activity.
The Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway, located in northern Borno, is about 190 kilometres from Maiduguri and is regarded as a major route for movement across the region.
Security sources have previously identified the corridor as a strategic route used by insurgents moving between areas around the Lake Chad basin, Alagarno and the Sambisa axis, as well as parts of neighbouring Yobe State.
The presence of improvised explosive devices and the risk of ambushes have continued to make travel along the route hazardous for both civilians and security personnel.
Thursday’s incident highlights the security challenges facing political campaigns in Borno, where insurgency has persisted for more than a decade.
The attack also recalls the killing of Modu Fannami Gubio, an ANPP governorship candidate, who was assassinated by gunmen in Maiduguri in January 2011.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Borno State Police Command were unsuccessful.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nahum Kenneth Daso, did not respond to calls or text messages seeking confirmation of the incident.
