Mustapha Gubio survives a suspected Boko Haram ambush in Borno after a landmine struck his convoy, with security forces repelling the attack
All Progressives Congress governorship candidate Mustapha Gubio survived a suspected Boko Haram ambush on the Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway in Borno State on Thursday evening, September 3, 2026, after a landmine exploded beneath a police armoured vehicle leading his convoy.
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Gubio and members of his entourage were returning to Maiduguri from Damasak, a border town about 190 kilometres north of the state capital, when the convoy came under attack.
According to a security source who spoke on condition of anonymity, suspected insurgents had planted landmines along the highway before the convoy arrived.
The police armoured vehicle at the front of the convoy reportedly triggered one of the devices, causing a powerful explosion that severely damaged the vehicle.
The blast was followed by an ambush as suspected terrorists opened fire on the convoy.
Military personnel, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force responded to the attack and engaged the insurgents in a gun battle.
The combined security team eventually pushed back the attackers, allowing the convoy to continue its journey. No casualties were reported among members of the main convoy, according to the security source.
The incident nevertheless underscores the continuing security challenges along one of Borno’s most vulnerable road corridors.
The Gubio-Kareto-Damasak highway has long been associated with insurgent activity, particularly because of its proximity to areas where Boko Haram and other armed groups have operated.
Travellers and security formations using the route have faced threats including improvised explosive devices, ambushes and raids, making movement through the corridor particularly hazardous.
The attack also carries a sobering political dimension for Borno, where insecurity has remained a major issue for successive administrations and political campaigns.
Gubio’s convoy was returning from a thank-you visit to Damasak, but the attack turned what had been a routine political engagement into a dangerous encounter with suspected insurgents.
The incident also recalls the killing of Modu Fannami Gubio, who was an ANPP governorship candidate in 2011. Gubio was assassinated by gunmen in Maiduguri in January that year.
The earlier killing remains part of the painful history of political violence in Borno, making the latest attack particularly striking given the involvement of another governorship candidate bearing the Gubio name.
However, there is no indication from the information currently available that Thursday’s attack was connected to the 2011 assassination.
Attempts to obtain an immediate official response from Borno State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Nahum Kenneth Daso were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages reportedly went unanswered.
The absence of an immediate official account means some details of the incident, including the identity of the attackers and the extent of the damage, remain subject to further confirmation.
For now, the successful response by the security forces prevented the ambush from causing reported casualties within Gubio’s main convoy.
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The incident is nonetheless a stark reminder of the risks faced by political figures, security personnel and ordinary travellers navigating parts of Borno, where the threat from insurgent groups continues to shape daily life and political activity.
