By Lami Sadiq And Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna
![image](/2021/04/banner-law.jpg")
Many have seen them patrolling the Kaduna-Abuja Highway but dare
not approach them. In their military camouflage uniform, armed with
AK47 rifles, the 100 female soldiers of the 1Women Special
Operations Battalion deployed to the deadly Kaduna-Abuja Highway
may have done the magic in securing one of northern Nigeria’s most
deadly highways.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
Whether by charm or sheer coincidence, motorists agree that the
coming of the female soldiers almost three months ago has brought
sanity to the route, making attacks and abductions an almost
non-existent issue.
In January, the Nigerian Army stationed 100 female soldiers on
the highway as part of measures to boost security on the route.
They were part of a larger deployment of 300 all-female soldiers,
expected to compliment Operation Thunder Strike and other existing
operations along the highway and environs.
While receiving the first batch of 100 female soldiers at Kakau
village, along the highway in January, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of
Kaduna State had assured that their deployment would make the
highway safe for commuters.
Incidentally, since their deployment, motorists have attested to
the fact that normalcy has gradually returned to the highway.
Daily Trust reports that until their deployment, reports of
incessant kidnapping, killings and other criminality had made the
Kaduna-Abuja route a death-trap. Motorists told sordid tales of
killings by bandits, who open fire on moving vehicles and abduct
passengers for ransom, almost on a daily basis.
Our correspondents gathered from motorists that there used to be
four major spots on the highway where bandits launched attacks.
Saidu Hamza, a driver plying the Kaduna-Abuja Highway, said the
first dangerous spot for motorists travelling from Kaduna to Abuja
used to be about 30 kilometers from Kaduna city, which is around
Olam Farms. He said the next spot used to be around Rijana, adding
that any driver who scales through Rijana would now face the fear
of safely cruising through another dangerous spot after Akilubu,
just before Gidan Busa. “The fourth dangerous spot is about five
kilometers after Gidan Busa,” he had said.
But since January, Hamza said commercial vehicles had traversed
through the route with little or no fear of attacks.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Nurudeen Mohammed, a bus driver at the
Mando park who, in November 2020 cheated death when he got trapped
between groups of bandits while conveying 12 French students of the
Ahmadu Bello University to Lagos, said the highway is now
secured.
“We see the soldiers patrolling all the time, there are other
armed soldiers in the bushes while others are on motorbikes. The
road is now secure and we are able to travel without any
hindrance,” he said.
Mohammed, who travels to Lagos from Kaduna twice a week, said he
often saw the female soldiers patrolling between Kaduna and Katari,
which is about 98 kilometres from Kaduna, adding that they seldom
perform stop-and-search operation as they are constantly on the
move.
Also, Bala Inda, a commercial driver who frequents the road
said, “I saw the soldiers a few days ago in the evening, about 6pm
while I was returning to Kaduna from Abuja.”
Inda, who transports passengers from the Television Garage in
the Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna State, said many of his passengers
now looked out for the female soldiers when they are on the road.
He said though the female soldiers are not stationed in a
particular spot, they conduct occasional stop-and-search operations
on the road.
“I have seen them on several occasions in their vehicles
conducting surveillance on the road. They also engage in impromptu
stop-and-search, where they ask occupants of selected vehicles to
disembark for search if they suspect anything,” he said.
He said except for accidents by over-speeding vehicles and those
driving across traffic, there has not been much breaches on the
road. “I can say that there is some sense of sanity on the road now
because there hasn’t been any incident of kidnapping or killings by
bandits lately. We only see vehicle accidents,” he added.
Our correspondents had in February and March travelled as far as
50 kilometres from Kaduna on the highway, with the hope of sighting
the female soldiers, but they were unsuccessful as several
motorists reported that they were on patrol at farther locations
along the road. However, it was observed that a large portion of
the road, which motorists previously complained had contributed to
the security challenges, had been fixed.
At the Audu Jangon community, some 35 kilometres from Kaduna and
ahead of Olam Farm, our correspondents noticed a security
deployment within the community, and residents said sanity had
returned to the highway due to increased security presence.
“I am not certain it is due to the deployment of female soldiers
or the general increase in security presence, but I know that we no
longer have challenges with the bandits,” said a resident of Audu
Jangon.
Villagers at Unguwan Hausawa Dutse, located on the highway, told
our correspondents that the soldiers were usually camped at the
Alheri Prayer Village along the road and have been seen on daily
patrols. Our correspondents, however, observed that the Alheri camp
was under lock and key during a visit.
The village head, Dikko Sani, said he often saw the female
soldiers on patrol and is happy that their deployment had brought
stability to the security situation in the area.
“We feel safer with them and will continue to pray to Allah to
guide them in securing the road. Many people have lost their lives
and many have been abducted on the road, but we are happy the
security has now improved,” he said.
Daily Trust gathered that since 100 of the female soldiers were
deployed, there has not been any news on when the remaining 200
would be sent to Kaduna.
Attempts to reach the Commissioner for Internal Security and
Home Affairs in Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan, to comment on the
issue was unsuccessful as he did not answer calls and a text
message sent to his phone.
Editors Note; Written By Lami
Sadiq And Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna and originally
published in Dailytrust[1]
By Lami Sadiq And Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna
Many have seen them patrolling the Kaduna-Abuja Highway but dare
not approach them. In their military camouflage uniform, armed with
AK47 rifles, the 100 female soldiers of the 1Women Special
Operations Battalion deployed to the deadly Kaduna-Abuja Highway
may have done the magic in securing one of northern Nigeria’s most
deadly highways.
Whether by charm or sheer coincidence, motorists agree that the
coming of the female soldiers almost three months ago has brought
sanity to the route, making attacks and abductions an almost
non-existent issue.
In January, the Nigerian Army stationed 100 female soldiers on
the highway as part of measures to boost security on the route.
They were part of a larger deployment of 300 all-female soldiers,
expected to compliment Operation Thunder Strike and other existing
operations along the highway and environs.
While receiving the first batch of 100 female soldiers at Kakau
village, along the highway in January, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of
Kaduna State had assured that their deployment would make the
highway safe for commuters.
Incidentally, since their deployment, motorists have attested to
the fact that normalcy has gradually returned to the highway.
Daily Trust reports that until their deployment, reports of
incessant kidnapping, killings and other criminality had made the
Kaduna-Abuja route a death-trap. Motorists told sordid tales of
killings by bandits, who open fire on moving vehicles and abduct
passengers for ransom, almost on a daily basis.
Our correspondents gathered from motorists that there used to be
four major spots on the highway where bandits launched attacks.
Saidu Hamza, a driver plying the Kaduna-Abuja Highway, said the
first dangerous spot for motorists travelling from Kaduna to Abuja
used to be about 30 kilometers from Kaduna city, which is around
Olam Farms. He said the next spot used to be around Rijana, adding
that any driver who scales through Rijana would now face the fear
of safely cruising through another dangerous spot after Akilubu,
just before Gidan Busa. “The fourth dangerous spot is about five
kilometers after Gidan Busa,” he had said.
But since January, Hamza said commercial vehicles had traversed
through the route with little or no fear of attacks.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Nurudeen Mohammed, a bus driver at the
Mando park who, in November 2020 cheated death when he got trapped
between groups of bandits while conveying 12 French students of the
Ahmadu Bello University to Lagos, said the highway is now
secured.
“We see the soldiers patrolling all the time, there are other
armed soldiers in the bushes while others are on motorbikes. The
road is now secure and we are able to travel without any
hindrance,” he said.
Mohammed, who travels to Lagos from Kaduna twice a week, said he
often saw the female soldiers patrolling between Kaduna and Katari,
which is about 98 kilometres from Kaduna, adding that they seldom
perform stop-and-search operation as they are constantly on the
move.
Also, Bala Inda, a commercial driver who frequents the road
said, “I saw the soldiers a few days ago in the evening, about 6pm
while I was returning to Kaduna from Abuja.”
Inda, who transports passengers from the Television Garage in
the Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna State, said many of his passengers
now looked out for the female soldiers when they are on the road.
He said though the female soldiers are not stationed in a
particular spot, they conduct occasional stop-and-search operations
on the road.
“I have seen them on several occasions in their vehicles
conducting surveillance on the road. They also engage in impromptu
stop-and-search, where they ask occupants of selected vehicles to
disembark for search if they suspect anything,” he said.
He said except for accidents by over-speeding vehicles and those
driving across traffic, there has not been much breaches on the
road. “I can say that there is some sense of sanity on the road now
because there hasn’t been any incident of kidnapping or killings by
bandits lately. We only see vehicle accidents,” he added.
Our correspondents had in February and March travelled as far as
50 kilometres from Kaduna on the highway, with the hope of sighting
the female soldiers, but they were unsuccessful as several
motorists reported that they were on patrol at farther locations
along the road. However, it was observed that a large portion of
the road, which motorists previously complained had contributed to
the security challenges, had been fixed.
At the Audu Jangon community, some 35 kilometres from Kaduna and
ahead of Olam Farm, our correspondents noticed a security
deployment within the community, and residents said sanity had
returned to the highway due to increased security presence.
“I am not certain it is due to the deployment of female soldiers
or the general increase in security presence, but I know that we no
longer have challenges with the bandits,” said a resident of Audu
Jangon.
Villagers at Unguwan Hausawa Dutse, located on the highway, told
our correspondents that the soldiers were usually camped at the
Alheri Prayer Village along the road and have been seen on daily
patrols. Our correspondents, however, observed that the Alheri camp
was under lock and key during a visit.
The village head, Dikko Sani, said he often saw the female
soldiers on patrol and is happy that their deployment had brought
stability to the security situation in the area.
“We feel safer with them and will continue to pray to Allah to
guide them in securing the road. Many people have lost their lives
and many have been abducted on the road, but we are happy the
security has now improved,” he said.
Daily Trust gathered that since 100 of the female soldiers were
deployed, there has not been any news on when the remaining 200
would be sent to Kaduna.
Attempts to reach the Commissioner for Internal Security and
Home Affairs in Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan, to comment on the
issue was unsuccessful as he did not answer calls and a text
message sent to his phone.
Editors Note; Written By Lami
Sadiq And Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna and originally
published in Dailytrust[1]