In one of the most harrowing highway attacks in the region's history, suspected Boko Haram (JAS) or ISWAP fighters attacked the village of Auno, located on the A3 highway (Maiduguri-Damaturu road). The victims were travellers who had been forced to sleep in their vehicles because they arrived at the military checkpoint after the 5 PM road closure. The insurgents stormed the village in trucks mounted with heavy weapons, opening fire on the stranded vehicles and setting them ablaze while passengers were still inside.
9 Feb 2020 · Auno, Konduga, Borno
Deaths
30
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
30
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum visited the scene the following day, accused the military of abandoning the town, and pleaded for a permanent base in Auno. The military denied responsibility, blaming travellers for violating the 5 PM curfew. The DHQ confirmed that 20–30 people had been killed, including 10 from whom charred remains were recovered. President Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement condemning the attack.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Terrorizing mobility, disrupting trade and civilian movement, asserting control over transport corridors.
Trajectory
The Auno massacre led to a breakdown in trust between Governor Zulum and the military. Zulum visited the scene the next morning and publicly blamed the army for "withdrawing" from the Auno base at night, leaving the stranded civilians unprotected.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier attacks, including 22 December 2019 – Gasarwa highway ambush involving selective screening and execution of travelers; 30 August 2019 – Gasarwa convoy ambush using RPGs and heavy weapons along a major transit route; 18 July 2019 – Damasak aid convoy interception targeting road movement; 20 June 2017 – Maiduguri–Damboa highway ambush disrupting civilian and military mobility; and 29 June 2018 – Banki–Freetown axis attack combining road interdiction with follow-on landmine strikes, these attacks collectively reflect a recurring pattern in which Boko Haram (and at times Islamic State West Africa Province) weaponizes major highways by targeting stranded or transiting civilians, using arson, heavy weapons, and ambush tactics to instill fear, disrupt economic activity, and assert dominance over critical mobility corridors in northeastern Nigeria.
Pattern
Highway Ambush
Related — Ambush
Troops on patrol encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion along the Bita-Piridang road and were subsequently ambushed by Boko Haram terrorists. The vehicle carrying Lt.-Col. B.U. Umar, Commanding Officer of the 114 Task Force Battalion, detonated an IED. Umar survived the initial blast and stepped out to inspect the damage, at which point Boko Haram fighters opened fire and killed him. A firefight ensued, and troops successfully cleared the ambush .
A large group of over 100 Civilian JTF members from Monguno and Maiduguri were conducting a clearing operation in the dense Monguno Forest on Friday, 30 August, based on intelligence that a major Boko Haram camp was located near the villages of Kaleri, Shuwari, Maganari and Nannari. The vigilantes had initially arranged for a military escort, but after waiting for hours for soldiers who never arrived, they proceeded alone. As they advanced, they encountered a group of men wearing Nigerian Army camouflage driving three captured security patrol vehicles painted in military colours. Believing these were friendly troops from a nearby battalion who had arrived ahead of them, the vigilantes lowered their guard and approached. The disguised insurgents immediately opened fire at point‑blank range with assault rifles, killing approximately 15 vigilantes on the spot. The remaining nine who attempted to flee were reportedly crushed by the insurgents’ vehicles. At least 24 vigilante members were confirmed dead, with 36 others missing and feared dead. Five survivors with broken limbs were reportedly rescued by villagers
Boko Haram militants ambushed a civilian convoy of more than 100 vehicles traveling under military escort from Maiduguri to Damboa . The attackers opened fire with heavy guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The ambush killed nine soldiers and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) militia . Several civilians were reported missing and are presumed killed or abducted.