MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A political convoy transporting All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Mustapha Gubio came under heavy attack on Thursday afternoon, September 3, 2026 when suspected Boko Haram terrorists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and fired rocket-propelled grenades along the Kareto–Damasak Highway in northern Borno State.
Despite the violent ambush, joint security forces successfully repelled the insurgents, safely evacuating the gubernatorial aspirant and accompanying government officials without casualties among the entourage.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. near the town of Karero as the convoy was returning from a political outreach tour in the northern district of the state. Attackers strategically positioned along the roadway initiated the strike with an IED blast, followed immediately by heavy gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades aimed at the lead escort vehicles.
The explosion damaged a police armored vehicle and scattered shrapnel across the highway, momentarily disrupting the procession. However, the protective formation held as tactical units quickly moved to form a defensive perimeter.
A heavily armed combined security escort—comprising military troops, police tactical operatives, Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, Civil Defense corps, and local Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) vigilantes—returned intense fire.
The swift counter-engagement forced the insurgents to break contact and retreat into the dense surrounding bushland. Operatives then conducted a thorough sweeping operation along the immediate axis to clear any secondary explosives before securing the roadway.
Following the firefight, security teams safely escorted the entire delegation to a secure facility in Maiduguri. Authorities confirmed that while several operational vehicles sustained ballistic damage, no lives were lost among the political entourage or security personnel.
Police tactical units and military counter-terrorism forces have intensified intelligence-led patrols and aerial surveillance across the Kareto–Damasak corridor to track down the fleeing insurgents. High-ranking state officials commended the gallantry of the security forces and reaffirmed that political activities and regional development tours will proceed under heightened protective protocols.
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