Borno Guber Candidate Survives Landmine Explosion, Ambush

​The governorship campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State suffered a major security breach on Thursday afternoon when suspected Boko Haram insurgents ambushed the convoy of the party’s flagbearer, Engr. Mustapha Gubio.

​The incident occurred along the volatile Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway as the candidate and his entourage were traversing northern Borno. The delegation was returning from Mobbar Local Government Area after a thank-you tour to appreciate party stakeholders and delegates in Damasak following Gubio’s emergence as the consensus candidate in the recent primary elections.

​According to security insiders and eyewitness accounts, the attack was meticulously planned. Insurgents planted a series of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the asphalt. At approximately 2:30 p.m., as the convoy neared the Kareto community, the police armoured personnel carrier leading the procession drove over a hidden landmine, triggering a violent blast that severely damaged the vehicle.

​Capitalizing on the confusion caused by the explosion, hidden fighters attempted to storm the entourage, unleashing a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and intense sporadic gunfire.

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​Despite the sudden ferocity of the assault, a joint security task force—comprising the Nigerian Army, police tactical units, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local vigilantes—reacted with swift precision. The security operatives took up tactical defensive positions and engaged the aggressors in a fierce firefight, eventually forcing the terrorists to break ranks and retreat into the surrounding bushes.

​Police authorities confirmed that subsequent sweep operations were conducted across the immediate axis to neutralize secondary explosive hazards before the convoy was safely evacuated to a secure location.

​While the lead police tactical vehicle sustained extensive damage from the direct impact of the landmine and subsequent blasts, officials confirmed that absolute vigilance by the security detail ensured zero casualties. Neither Engr. Gubio nor any government officials, party stakeholders, and entourage members sustained injuries during the harrowing ordeal.

​The Gubio-Kareto-Damasak corridor remains one of the most perilous security flashpoints in northern Borno, frequently utilized by insurgents transiting between Lake Chad enclaves and southern regional hideouts. Thursday’s failed offensive highlights the persistent threats faced by political figures campaigning across the insurgency-scarred region, while simultaneously underlining the operational readiness of joint security forces in repelling high-profile attacks.