Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have attacked and set ablaze three trucks loaded with fish at Mile-Forty along the Maiduguri–Monguno road in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.
The incident occurred around 1:00 pm on Thursday, February 19, 2026, according to truck drivers.
The drivers were transporting fish to Maiduguri when the insurgents ambushed them.
“Thank God that all the drivers escaped but the three vehicles—two Peugeot J5 trucks and a school bus converted for cargo—loaded with fish were burnt down,” a security source confirmed.
One of the drivers, who spoke anonymously, recounted: “We parked the vehicles and ran into the bush. Thank God we all made it alive but I watched helplessly as the only means of my livelihood got burnt to ashes. Tell the government to do something on that road.”
He noted a shift in the insurgents’ tactics: “Before, they used to abduct people and demand ransom from families, but they frequently intercept vehicles these days to loot and burn them down.”
The driver called on the federal government and security agencies to deploy troops permanently along the route to protect lives and property.
He recalled similar recent attacks:
– On February 10, 2026, terrorists intercepted four trailers conveying cows from Monguno to Maiduguri, stole over 100 cows, and set the vehicles ablaze.
– Four days earlier, four trucks carrying beans from Monguno to Maiduguri were blocked and burnt at Garin Kashim in Guzamala LGA.
Truck drivers plying the Maiduguri–Monguno road complained of sparse security presence, with military checkpoints only at Gajaganna, Gajiram, Mairari, and Monguno.
“It has become a daily occurrence now and no action has been taken. Unless the government takes this seriously, livestock and grain businesses that began to thrive in those areas would soon collapse. We can no longer risk our lives and vehicles on that road,” one driver said.
He urged authorities to replicate the security model on the Gwoza axis, where soldiers are strategically stationed to deter attacks.
“Many truck owners have now withdrawn their vehicles from this road. These things keep happening and no action has been taken so far,” he added.
The repeated attacks have severely disrupted food and livestock supply chains to Maiduguri and surrounding areas, raising concerns about food security in the region.
