Motorists still plying Kaduna-Abuja highway – El-Rufai

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday urged Nigerians to discountenance reports in the media that motorists and travelers had stopped using the Kaduna-Abuja highway due to incidents of kidnapping along the axis.

El-Rufai, who stated this during a visit to some communities along the expressway, said the state government has done a lot by deploying security agents on the road to check the activities of kidnappers and bandits.

In a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the governor added that troops have been conducting an aggressive patrol on the road while the government has been holding meetings with communities along the axis to ask for timely information on the activities of bandits and other criminal elements.

He said: “Vehicular movement is active on the double lane road as commercial activities are also visible in local markets in Akilubu, Rijana, Kateri, Jere, Doka, Sabon Gayan and other communities surrounding the main road.

“Ground troops of the ‘Operation Thunder Strike’ (OPTS) and police operatives attached to ‘Operation Puff Adder,’ are presently carrying out aggressive fighting patrols on the route, which stretches through three local government areas of the state.”

Read also: Kaduna gov, El-Rufai, reveals those behind hijack of #EndSARS protests

The governor revealed that a state government team and Coordinator of OPTS, Col. Ibrahim Gambari, have been touring the route, soliciting support for the communities’ support for the security agencies.

He urged religious, traditional, and community leaders at Akilubu village to provide credible information to enable security agencies to deal decisively with bandits and other criminal elements in the area.

“As you are all witnessing, troops have been taking the battle to the bandits, and this is made possible because they got credible intelligence.

“So, please cooperate with them and support them so that we will get it right and maintain security on the road.

“Contrary to reports that motorists and travelers have abandoned the road, you can see that motorists are plying both sides of the dual carriageway,” El-Rufai added.

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