Security operations along the Sokoto– Badagry Superhighway are set to receive a major boost following the donation of 10 Toyota Hilux vehicles by the Sokoto State Government to the Nigerian Army.
The vehicles were formally commissioned and handed over at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division in Sokoto by the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, on behalf of the Minister of Works, Engr. David Nweze Umahi.
The donation is expected to improve the mobility and rapid-response capacity of troops and other security agencies deployed along the highway corridor.
It will also support efforts to protect construction workers, contractors, equipment and host communities.
Commending Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, Goronyo described the gesture as a clear demonstration of the state government’s commitment to national development and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister said the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway represents the fulfilment of a decades- old national vision first conceived during the era of former President Shehu Shagari in the 1970s.
The project, launched in October 2024, will pass through Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states.
According to Goronyo, the highway is designed to connect northern and southern Nigeria, reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets and essential services, create jobs and unlock new opportunities for agriculture, trade and industry.
He stressed, however, that lasting security would be essential to delivering the project on schedule.
Goronyo called for continued cooperation among federal and state governments, security agencies, contractors and host communities.
The General Officer Commanding the 8 Division, Major General Bengba Paul Koughna, expressed appreciation for the vehicles, saying they would strengthen patrols and troop operations along the approximately 440-kilometre section of the corridor covering Sokoto and Kebbi states.
He assured the minister that the vehicles would be deployed effectively to safeguard personnel, infrastructure and communities along the route.
Goronyo also paid tribute to security personnel serving under difficult conditions and expressed condolences to the Nigerian military over the reported loss of personnel in a bandit attack while on duty.
The handover, attended by government officials, security representatives and project stakeholders, underscored the importance of collaboration in securing strategic infrastructure and ensuring the safe and timely completion of the superhighway.
