A flatbed truck carrying nine passengers struck a landmine suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram or ISWAP jihadists along the Gamboru-Maiduguri highway near Kunibaa village. The explosion killed seven people instantly, including a woman and her two children. Two other passengers sustained minor injuries. The truck was destroyed.
9 Jan 2024 · Kunibaa, Gamboru/Ngala, Borno
Deaths
7
Injured
2
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
9
Perpetrators
Boko Haram/ISWAP
Response
Security forces arrived at the scene after the explosion; no immediate military statement was issued. The wounded were taken to a local medical facility.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Following territorial losses, Boko Haram and ISWAP have increasingly relied on IEDs and landmines to target civilian and military convoys.
Trajectory
A deliberate, intensified campaign by jihadist groups to paralyze movement and supply routes in early 2024.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier attacks including 31 May 2018 – Pridang–Bitta road IED ambush targeting military movement, 29 June 2018 – Banki landmine incident following an IDP camp raid, 30 August 2019 – Gasarwa convoy ambush combining explosives with direct fire, 17 January 2021 – Gorgi multi-IED field attack against armored convoy, and 08 January 2024 – Gamboru–Maiduguri highway IED strike on a humanitarian convoy, collectively reflecting a recurring pattern in which Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province intensify the use of roadside IEDs and landmines against civilian transport—deliberately targeting soft-moving vehicles along critical highways to maximize casualties, instill fear, and effectively paralyze mobility and economic activity across key corridors in northeastern Nigeria.
Pattern
Highway Ambush
Related — Bombing/IED
Bomb blasts kill at least 44 in crowded mosque and restaurant in Jos
A military vehicle hit a mine planted by Boko Haram in Kauyen Kuros village, six kilometres from Baga, critically injuring six soldiers and a civilian vigilante. The convoy, which was escorting some 1,200 displaced residents from Maiduguri on a brief return visit to their hometown of Baga, was forced to spend the night in Kauyen Kuros as a result of the explosion. The visit had been planned for Sunday but was temporarily stalled by the mine blast. Following the explosion, troops engaged Boko Haram gunmen in a prolonged gun battle, forcing them to flee.
Two female suicide bombers, both approximately 18 years old, attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri town early in the morning. They were spotted behind the NNPC Mega Station by security personnel on duty, who ordered them to halt. When the bombers continued to advance, security forces engaged. One bomber was shot dead; the second surrendered and was arrested alive.