A political victory tour in northern Borno suddenly turned into a fight for survival on Thursday when the convoy carrying the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mustapha Gubio, came under attack along the Kareto-Damasak axis.
What was supposed to be a routine journey to meet party supporters became a terrifying encounter with suspected Boko Haram fighters, as explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were reportedly fired at the convoy.
Gubio and other members of his entourage escaped unhurt after security personnel attached to the convoy engaged the attackers and forced them to retreat into the surrounding bush.
But the incident has once again raised an uncomfortable question for Borno: how safe are the state’s roads when even a high-profile political convoy can come under such a heavy attack?
A campaign journey turns into a battlefield
The convoy was travelling through northern Borno towards Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area, when the attack reportedly occurred around Kareto community at approximately 2:30pm.
Gubio was said to be on a tour of the area to thank APC members following his emergence as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.
Instead of handshakes, political conversations and celebrations, members of the convoy suddenly found themselves under fire.
A member of the entourage, who spoke anonymously to Vanguard, described the incident as terrifying and claimed the attackers used heavy weapons.
“It was a terrifying moment for us; we came under heavy attacks by terrorists yesterday,” the source said.
“The terrorists fired several Rocket Propelled Grenades on our convoy, which was also followed by sporadic shooting. Luckily, our security agencies repelled the attacks.”
Security forces fight back
The convoy was reportedly accompanied by a large security contingent comprising Nigerian Army troops, police officers, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local vigilantes.
The security presence proved critical when the attack began.
According to the police, tactical personnel engaged the suspected terrorists after the convoy was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED) and rocket-propelled grenades.
Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, said the security team eventually forced the attackers to retreat into the surrounding bush.
The immediate area was subsequently scanned and cleared over concerns about possible secondary explosive devices.
“The tactical team forced the terrorists to retreat into the surrounding bush and subsequently scanned and cleared the immediate axis to neutralise secondary explosive threats,” Iniedu said.
The convoy was then evacuated to a secure location.
No casualties — but the convoy did not escape untouched
Despite the intensity of the reported attack, no member of Gubio’s entourage was killed or injured.
The attackers, however, reportedly succeeded in damaging some security vehicles.
“Police armoured vehicles were damaged, but there was no casualty,” the source said.
That detail may be significant.
The absence of casualties is undoubtedly a relief for Gubio and his political team, but the reported damage to armoured vehicles underlines the intensity of the confrontation and the firepower allegedly brought against the convoy.
The bigger question for Borno
The incident is more than another entry in Borno’s long-running security crisis.
Gubio was not travelling alone or moving through the area without protection. His convoy reportedly included personnel from several security agencies and local security structures.
Yet the attackers were still able to target the convoy with explosives and rocket-propelled grenades.
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That raises difficult questions about intelligence, road security and the continued ability of insurgents to operate along parts of Borno’s highways and remote communities.
For residents who use these roads without armoured vehicles, tactical teams and multiple layers of security, the implications are even more troubling.
If a heavily protected political convoy can suddenly become a target, what does that mean for ordinary travellers moving through the same terrain?
A political campaign under a security shadow
Gubio’s emergence as the APC consensus candidate was expected to set the stage for the party’s political campaign in Borno.
But Thursday’s attack has introduced a darker reality into that political process.
In a state that has endured years of insurgency, politics cannot always be separated from security.
Campaign tours, political rallies and grassroots mobilisation require politicians to travel through communities where the security situation can change within minutes.
The attack on Gubio’s convoy is therefore likely to fuel renewed debate over whether the gains made against insurgency in Borno are translating into genuine security on the roads and in vulnerable communities.
For Gubio and his entourage, the immediate outcome was fortunate: they survived.
For Borno, however, the incident leaves behind a more unsettling question — if a political convoy protected by multiple security agencies can be ambushed, how far has the battle against insurgency really come?