Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, has declared that the Abuja-Kaduna highway, once plagued by kidnappers and armed terrorists, is now safe for travel even at night.

Ribadu attributed the improvement to sustained military operations that have neutralized several high-profile terror leaders and dismantled their strongholds.

Speaking at an interactive session on government-citizen engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) in Kaduna on Tuesday, Ribadu said the recent security gains are the result of aggressive counterterrorism efforts by the nation’s security forces.

The NSA revealed that top government officials, including ministers who attended the event, deliberately travelled by road from Abuja to Kaduna at night to demonstrate the success of recent operations and the growing safety on the route.

“You can now drive from Abuja to Kaduna at night because we have killed these bastards, Kachalla Boka, Dogo Isah, and Kachalla Shekau, they were in control of those areas; we killed them,” Ribadu stated.

He also disclosed that terrorists had made multiple attempts to attack the Abuja-Kaduna rail line since the current administration came into office, but all attempts were repelled by security operatives.

“They attempted to attack two to three times under this administration, and we repelled them, but we don’t talk.

“Even last night, we drove at night from Abuja. It is a statement we wanted to make. All the ministers and everybody. We stopped everyone from flying no more flying”, he said.

Ribadu also hinted that future engagements in terror-prone areas like Isa and Shinkafi in Sokoto and Zamfara states would follow the same approach with officials travelling by road to further instill public confidence in restored security.

“Politics will not allow people to give us credit, and that is okay. Nigerians will feel it. Northerners will feel it. Things are changing,” he said.

The Abuja-Kaduna highway has been a flashpoint of insecurity in recent years, witnessing repeated attacks, mass kidnappings, and killings. (BusinessDay)