‘Not a single corps member abducted since January’ — Military escorts, highway patrols and WhatsApp hotlines drive a security revolution across Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Katsina
By Zagazola Makama
For years, deployment to Nigeria’s north-western states filled NYSC members and commuters with dread. Today, that fear is fast disappearing — thanks to a bold security blueprint led by Major General Ibikunle Ajose, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander, Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
Ajose has rolled out a sweeping new security strategy known as the “Secure Main Supply Route” (SMSR) — a multi-pronged initiative designed to protect NYSC members and civilian travelers across Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Katsina states.
“Since January, not a single corps member has been abducted or harmed in our area of responsibility,” Ajose told reporters confidently. “We treat these young patriots as national treasures. Their safety is non-negotiable.”
The strategy includes:
- Permanent military checkpoints and forward operating bases along highways;
- A mandatory 5:00 PM stop rule for traveling corps members, who must report to the nearest military base;
- Real-time coordination via dedicated WhatsApp groups linking NYSC officials, soldiers, and corps members for rapid response and emergency alerts;
- Night patrols along previously dangerous routes.
Corps members say the difference is like night and day.
“I was nervous at first,” said Joy Onoh, an Enugu-born corps member deployed to Zamfara. “But when we stopped at a checkpoint in Gusau, the soldiers arranged an escort for us. It felt like presidential treatment.”
Another corps member, Jide Akinjide from Osun State, described the experience as reassuring: “You don’t know relief until you’re deep in the bush and see uniformed soldiers waving you down with a smile. They even check your car and offer cold water!”
Commercial drivers are also breathing easier. Alhaji Usman Garba, who frequently drives the Gusau-Sokoto route, said, “The stretch near Isa used to be a death trap. But for the past two months, not a single attack. Soldiers are everywhere — even at night.”
Ajose’s operation extends beyond protecting commuters. He revealed that a Special Task Force Battalion — made up of Army, Police, DSS, and NSCDC personnel — has been deployed to secure the high-priority Sokoto-Kebbi Superhighway Project. This critical 1,068-kilometre road will link Sokoto to Badagry, Lagos, passing through multiple states.
“Since we deployed troops to the site, all construction schedules have been met — not a single disruption. We’re protecting not just people, but national infrastructure,” Ajose noted.
Troop welfare has also received a major boost under the leadership of Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa and Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede. Soldiers now receive ₦3,000 daily feeding allowance, and are being equipped with modern gear, including drones and protective kits.
“Like Napoleon said, ‘armies march on their stomachs,’” Ajose added. “We’re feeding and equipping our men so they can safeguard others.”
In a region long overshadowed by fear and insecurity, a new dawn is breaking — and it’s wearing combat boots.
“Security is not a privilege. It is the right of every Nigerian — corps member or civilian,” Maj.-Gen. Ajose affirmed. “And we will not rest until the North-West becomes a symbol of safety for all.”
Let me know if you’d like a Hausa translation or a version adapted for social media!
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