A deadly explosion orchestrated by Boko Haram terrorists rocked Borno State on Saturday, April 12, 2025, killing at least seven commuters and injuring 11 others along the treacherous Maiduguri-Damboa highway.
The attack was carried out using an improvised explosive device (IED) buried on the deserted stretch of road that cuts through the notorious Sambisa Forest, an area that has long served as a stronghold for the insurgents. The victims were passengers in a military-escorted convoy heading from Damboa to Maiduguri.
Despite being scanned for explosives before each journey, the convoy was struck near the halfway point, raising serious concerns about the evolving tactics of the insurgents. The injured were rushed to Maiduguri Specialist Hospital, with multiple victims suffering critical shrapnel wounds.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who personally visited the wounded, expressed outrage over the attack and called on federal authorities to enhance the operational capacity of security forces to prevent further loss of life. “We cannot continue to lose our people this way,” he stated.
The Maiduguri-Damboa route, once entirely closed due to the overwhelming threat of insurgency, was reopened under Zulum’s administration in 2022, with a strict escort protocol. Military convoys are deployed twice weekly to protect civilian movement along the volatile corridor.
This incident marks one of the deadliest attacks in the region since January 2024 and serves as a chilling reminder of the persistent danger posed by Boko Haram, which has plagued northeastern Nigeria for over a decade.
Local sources told OtownGist that security forces have commenced a sweep of the surrounding bush paths and have tightened travel restrictions on the road pending further clearance. The attack underscores the insurgents’ renewed focus on targeting civilian convoys, amplifying the urgent call for adaptive military countermeasures.
