No fewer than nine Nigerian soldiers have been confirmed dead following an explosion caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Boko Haram insurgents near Gubio in Borno State.
A top military source, who spoke on Monday, said the incident occurred as the soldiers were travelling from Maiduguri. According to the source, the troops had stopped at a camp along the route on Saturday and were preparing to continue their journey on Sunday when the explosion occurred.
The source confirmed that several soldiers sustained serious injuries in the blast, with fatalities rising after the initial explosion. “Eight soldiers died on Sunday from injuries sustained in the blast, while one more died on Monday morning,” the source said.
Clarifying the nature of the incident, the military source stressed that it was not an ambush by gunmen but an attack involving planted explosive devices. “The incident happened at Gubio. It was not an ambush; it was caused by explosive devices,” the source stated.
The affected soldiers were said to be personnel of 145 Battalion, Damasak, under the 5 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri. The explosion reportedly occurred towards the evening on Sunday.
Videos and photographs from the scene showed several soldiers lying lifeless, with some bodies bearing severe injuries and severed body parts, indicating the impact of powerful explosives.
The attack is the latest in a series of deadly assaults on Nigerian troops in the North-East, where Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have continued to target military formations and patrol routes using gunfire and explosive devices.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
In a related development, suspected ISWAP fighters reportedly ambushed a military convoy in November 2025, killing several soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), with reports also indicating the abduction of a serving brigade commander during the attack.
