Nine soldiers have been reported killed after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated along the Maiduguri–Gubio road in Borno State. The troops were travelling from Maiduguri through Gubio town for an operation in the Sasawa Forest, in neighbouring Yobe State, when the explosion occurred near Gubio, the headquarters of Gubio Local Council. A senior military source said several other soldiers sustained injuries from shrapnel, including burns to their limbs and heads. Clarifying the circumstances of the incident, the source said the attack was not an ambush, but the result of an IED planted along the road overnight. As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, including details of investigations and the number of casualties.

Source: The Guardian January 06, 2026 09:49 UTC