At least nine Nigerian soldiers were killed after a series of improvised explosive devices (IEDs detonated along the Maiduguri–Gubio axis in Borno State, highlighting a sharp escalation in insurgents’ reliance on high-impact explosives in Nigeria’s northeast.
The blasts struck a military convoy late Sunday near Gubio as troops were travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak. Eight soldiers died at the scene, while a ninth succumbed to his injuries the following morning, according to military sources.
The affected personnel belonged to the 145 Battalion based in Damasak, under the 5 Brigade headquartered in Maiduguri. The convoy had departed Maiduguri earlier in the weekend, halted overnight at a forward military camp, and resumed movement on Sunday afternoon when the explosions occurred.
Security officials said the attack did not involve a direct firefight but was a calculated operation using high-yield explosives buried along the road—an increasingly preferred tactic by Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Escalating IED Campaign
The incident underscores a growing threat across Borno and neighboring states, where insurgent groups have intensified IED attacks on both military convoys and civilian traffic. Recent assessments by the Institute for Security Studies indicate that militants are increasingly using non-metallic components and organic materials to evade detection during military road clearance operations.
The Maiduguri–Gubio–Damasak corridor remains among the most dangerous routes in the state. Just days earlier, an IED explosion on the Maiduguri–Damboa road killed at least eight people, including civilians, reinforcing fears of an expanding threat footprint.
Official Silence, Growing Anxiety
By Monday afternoon, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue an official statement on the Gubio attack. Military sources noted that confirmations are often delayed pending family notifications and post-blast clearance operations.
At the federal level, Vice President Kashim Shettima recently reaffirmed the government’s commitment to countering the renewed wave of bombings, announcing the deployment of additional tactical units to Borno State.
