Nigeria: Kaduna-Abuja Roadside Businesses Boom As Hostility Eases Off

Following drastic improvement in the security situation on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, roadside businesses have also picked up accordingly with young ones who engage in such businesses commending governments effort.

Our correspondent who spoke to some of the people largely young boys and girls who sell either in roadside shops or areas that experiences little traffic, said, with the improvement in the security situation on the road, their businesses have returned back and they are doing well because more vehicles now follow the road compared to what it was in time past.

Danladi Bukar who sells soft and energy drinks and who spoke to our correspondent in Hausa said, "the security situation on this road now has improved and more vehicles now pass through this road and that has helped our business to thrive. At least now, we make little income to take care of our families.

"The government has done very well addressing the insecurity and issues of kidnapping and armed robbery is gradually becoming a thing of the past on that route now".

For Maimuna Adamu who sells roasted corn, she equally expressed happiness that the situation has improved now and prayed to God that it is sustained.

Alhaji Abubakar Halilu who runs a roadside shop in one of the villages along the Abuja-Kaduna road said, "Now we can open our shops and our business is growing compared to when kidnapping and armed robbery was the order of the day on the Abuja-Kaduna road. Then for fear of the unknown, we could not open our shops and life then was unbearable but today Alhamdulillahi the situation is better".

But for Mr. Andrew Hezekaya, the government will need to do more by ensuring that there are more security presence on the Abuja-Kaduna road to sustain the present achievement while commending the government for achieving the present feat.

Other businesses and petty traders who spoke but preferred not to have their names mentioned expressed happiness and prayed to God that the security situation on the road be sustained.

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