A community-based organisation, the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, has commended the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, over the approval of a N178bn road project, saying the intervention is restoring hope and improving security in Birnin-Gwari.
The group said the 122-kilometre Mando–Kaduna to Birnin-Gwari road project, a key segment of the Kaduna–Lagos highway, would transform the socio-economic fortunes of the area long affected by insecurity and poor infrastructure.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Chairman, Ibrahim Nagwari, the group also commended President Bola Tinubu for fulfilling commitments made to the people ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The statement read, “We express profound appreciation to Governor Uba Sani for securing the Federal Government’s approval for the N178bn road project. This development marks a turning point for our people who have endured years of insecurity and infrastructural neglected.
“We recall Mr President’s visit to Birnin-Gwari in the lead-up to the 2023 general elections, when he made a clear promise to address our challenges. Today, that promise is being fulfilled.”
The group described the ongoing reconstruction of the Mando–Birnin-Gwari road as both symbolic and strategic, noting that it would enhance connectivity, strengthen security operations, and boost agricultural productivity in the area.
“This road will enhance connectivity, strengthen security operations, facilitate agricultural productivity, and restore confidence to communities long burdened by isolation,” the statement added.
It also lauded the Kaduna State Government for other infrastructure projects, including the construction of the 36-kilometre Bagoma–Gagumi road and the establishment of a modern cattle market and abattoir in Birnin-Gwari.
“These interventions are not isolated projects but enduring legacies that will anchor a more prosperous, secure and connected future for our people,” the group said.
“We are particularly elated by Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to building sustainable peace after years of banditry through the Kaduna Peace Model. The impact is tangible: in the last 18 months, commuters have enjoyed relatively unhindered travel along the Birnin-Gwari–Kaduna highway,” it stated.
The group added that farming activities had also improved, with more farmlands now being cultivated ahead of the planting season.
While commending the government’s efforts, it urged the Kaduna State Government to sustain the peace initiative through continuous engagement with local communities.
“We urge the government to safeguard the Kaduna Peace Model through effective community engagement for reconciliation, healing and development,” the statement added.
Birnin-Gwari, a strategic corridor linking Kaduna to parts of the North-West and southern Nigeria, had for over a decade been heavily affected by banditry, kidnappings and attacks on travellers, which disrupted economic activities and displaced communities.
However, since the assumption of office of Governor Uba Sani in 2023, the state government has intensified both kinetic and non-kinetic security strategies, including dialogue, community engagement and collaboration with security agencies aimed at restoring stability.
These efforts, alongside federal interventions in infrastructure and security, are gradually restoring movement, farming and commercial activities along previously volatile routes.
