Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has stated that President Bola Ahmed has doggedly kept the campaign promises he made to the north during the 2023 election.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day interactive session on government-citizen engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Governor Sani said that Tinubu has supported his administration to tackle the security challenges that held the state down for several years.
He noted that across the domains of security, education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, and inclusion — the pledges made by President Tinubu’s administration are being honoured through bold, tangible outcomes, adding that although more work remains and distances still lie ahead, the destination is in sight.
“Upon assuming office as governor in 2023, I was confronted with a Kaduna State under siege. Insecurity casts a long, dark shadow over our communities. Banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime had become daily spectres — from the Kaduna-Abuja expressway to Birnin Gwari, from Chikun to Igabi and across the uneasy corridors of southern parts of our dear state. Fear was rampant. Kaduna — long celebrated for its resilience and cultural vitality — was being slowly eroded by chaos,” he stated.
“The Kaduna-Abuja highway — once the vibrant artery of commerce and movement — had become a corridor of dread, a painful symbol of governmental failure. The Abuja-Kaduna train attack of 2022 remains seared into our collective consciousness as a grim testament to the depth of the security crisis. Entire communities were abandoned, markets shuttered, and Kaduna’s very spirit trembled under the weight of fear. Frankly, had we attempted to organise this conference under those conditions in May 2023, the hall would have been empty — or worse — rendered inaccessible by persistent insecurity. ‘
Governor Sani described the insecurity in the north as not only a failure of arms, but one born of exclusion, educational deprivation and policy neglect.
According to him, the president administration was deeply committed to address the challenge facing the region.
“By God’s grace — and with the unwavering support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — our fortunes began to change. We prioritised peace, reinvigorated our security agencies, empowered local vigilance groups, and engaged communities with empathy, respect, and humility. Criminal enclaves along the KadunaAbuja highway were dismantled, markets in Birnin Gwari reopened after more than a decade, and ghost towns in Chikun and Igabi regained life. In the south of our state, through dialogue and reconciliation, we actively laid the groundwork for a lasting peace.
“The Federal Government, under President Tinubu’s leadership, stood firmly with us. I commend the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose coordination and resolve have ensured that our security responses are both intelligent and sustained. I salute the Honourable Minister for Defence, and the Honorable Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, our service chiefs, and all security leaders whose courage and vigilance continue to protect our people. Their gallantry fills us with pride.
“Yet, we must acknowledge that insecurity is not only a failure of arms — it is born of exclusion, of educational deprivation, and of policy neglect. Long before I became Governor, I emphasised that poverty is a potent instigator of instability. By the time we took office in May 2023, over sixty-five per cent of the population in the NorthWest was financially excluded, denied access to credit, savings, and hope. In that void, extremism and criminality found fertile ground,” Sani added.
