A fierce gun battle unfolded on the Damaturu-Biu road in Yobe State on March 12, 2025, as insurgents believed to be members of the Boko Haram terror group engaged in a confrontation with the convoy of Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum. The insurgents, however, were forced to retreat due to the superior firepower of the security personnel assigned to protect the governor’s convoy. The brave intervention of the security officers led to the rescue of kidnapped travelers and the recovery of an abandoned rifle and a motorcycle from the terrorists.
The clash took place at approximately 4:48 pm as the governor’s convoy was returning from Biu, where Zulum had commissioned various development projects in the Biu and Hawul local government areas. Governor Zulum, who had attended an official engagement in Biu earlier that day, had alighted from the convoy before the incident to attend another urgent matter in Maiduguri. He left behind top government officials to lead the convoy back to the state capital.
One of the passengers who had been taken hostage by the insurgents, a driver named Malum Ari, recounted the terrifying experience. Ari explained how the Boko Haram fighters, armed with rifles, blocked the road and hijacked his car, a Volkswagen Golf. The insurgents forced the passengers to lie on the ground at gunpoint, demanding that they stay still.
“They collected the car key and asked the passengers to lay on the ground with their faces down. Luckily enough, they sighted the convoy, which greeted them with heavy fire and forced them to retreat,” Ari recalled. “There were more than twenty men armed with rifles. One of them even pointed his rifle at me to intimidate me, but when he saw the convoy, he was so scared that he fell to the ground twice before running off on a motorcycle.”
Ari was quick to thank the security officers, saying, “You are sent by God to rescue us from the terrorists.”
The passengers, including Ari, were not the first to face such brutality. Attacks by Boko Haram insurgents have been frequent in the region, with the Damaturu-Biu highway often targeted by the terrorists. One of the passengers from the same vehicle noted, “Boko Haram attacks have become a daily occurrence on this highway. They always block the road in broad daylight.”
The ambush came just days after Boko Haram insurgents launched a deadly attack on Gujba town, located near the Biu road. On March 9, 2025, the insurgents killed a local vigilante, Modu Bulama, and destroyed several buildings, including homes and shops, as they searched for members of the town’s vigilante group. This attack was part of a series of violent actions Boko Haram has recently carried out in the area.
Gujba town had already been reeling from an earlier tragedy on March 5, 2025, when Boko Haram militants attacked the home of Malam Jibrin, a police inspector and crime officer at the Buni Yadi police station. The militants murdered Jibrin’s two sons, setting their bodies and the family home ablaze. Jibrin himself was able to escape the deadly attack by scaling the fence of his house. The tragedy was part of a worrying trend of attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel in the region.
The insurgents have not spared high-profile individuals either. On February 26, 2025, Boko Haram militants abducted Professor Abubakar Eljuma, a prominent academic from the Nigeria Army University Biu (NAUB), and several other passengers along the same highway. Professor Eljuma was later released, but other members of the group were not so fortunate.
Borno State, and the northeastern region of Nigeria in general, have been battling Boko Haram insurgents for over a decade. The group, whose activities have caused widespread devastation, aims to establish a strict interpretation of Islamic law in the region. Despite ongoing military efforts, including air strikes and ground operations by Nigerian forces, the insurgents continue to launch attacks on both civilians and security personnel.
The most high-profile of these abductions occurred on January 19, 2025, when Justice Haruns Mshelia, a high court judge from Borno State, was kidnapped by Boko Haram militants on the same road. Mshelia, along with his wife, driver, and orderly, was taken hostage during the attack. Although the judge was later released after a ransom was paid, the militants demanded another $500,000 for the release of his wife, driver, and orderly. This was just one of many incidents of kidnappings and ransom demands by Boko Haram militants targeting both civilians and state officials.
The recent rescue of kidnapped travelers by the security personnel in Governor Zulum’s convoy has been hailed as a significant victory. However, the ongoing threats from Boko Haram insurgents raise critical questions about the security situation in the northeast. While the quick response by the security forces saved lives, it also highlighted the continuous risk posed by the insurgents to local communities and travelers on key roads in the region.
Governor Zulum, who has faced multiple security challenges during his tenure, has been a consistent advocate for stronger military intervention and the protection of civilians in Borno State. In recent months, he has been involved in efforts to improve infrastructure and social services, even in the face of ongoing insurgent attacks. Despite these challenges, Zulum remains determined to continue his work for the betterment of Borno State.
For now, the people of Borno, Yobe, and other parts of the northeast are left to navigate the complex and dangerous landscape created by Boko Haram’s activities. The latest clash, however, has brought a moment of hope, with the governor’s convoy proving that it is possible to stand against the insurgents and protect innocent lives.
The Nigerian government and security agencies must continue to work together to address the underlying issues of insecurity in the region, as Boko Haram’s attacks show no sign of slowing down. For residents in areas like Gujba, Biu, and Maiduguri, every day remains a struggle for survival in the face of terror.
