ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that his administration is actively addressing the menace of ‘one-chance’ criminals through investments in public transportation infrastructure, signalling a shift toward safer and more organised urban mobility.
The president gave the assurance on Thursday, June 26, 2025, during the inauguration of the Kugbo Bus Terminal in Abuja.
He was represented at the event by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“We heard your concerns, we understood your fears, and we acted. With your compliance, you will no longer suffer from one chance by the roadside,” Akpabio said, quoting the president.
The newly commissioned Kugbo terminal is part of a broader transport infrastructure reform initiative under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It follows the earlier launch of the Mabushi terminal, both of which aim to replace the capital’s chaotic and unregulated public transport system with safer, structured alternatives.
“You will all agree with me that the Mabushi and Kugbo International Bus Terminals meet with global practices, meet with global principles of sustainable urban development in the area of transportation,” Tinubu said in his message.
“They automatically erase ugly experiences of chaotic public transportation in our capital city.”
According to the president, the terminals embody principles of transit-oriented development, smart mobility, and stakeholder-driven sustainability, aligning with broader national development goals.
Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritising high-impact transportation infrastructure, which he described as crucial to national progress.
“No nation—no nation—around the world, has been recorded to have made any noticeable progress without modernisation and expansion of its critical public mobility and public utilities,” he stated.
He commended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for what he described as prudent and effective use of public resources and thanked the National Assembly for their consistent support in driving infrastructure goals across the country.
In his remarks, Minister Nyesom Wike announced that the Kugbo terminal would be privately managed, ensuring efficiency and long-term maintenance.
“Mr President, I want to say, you know, government is not a good business person,” Wike said.
“This will not be run by the transport secretariat. It will be managed by private persons who have the idea to run this kind of business, and they pay us revenue.”
He added: “If you allow government, civil servants, politicians, to do this, I can tell you, in two weeks’ time, it will die.”
The initiative to place public transport terminals under private management is part of a broader strategy to ensure accountability, sustainability, and improved service delivery in the FCT’s public transport sector.
The Kugbo terminal is expected to serve thousands of daily commuters, helping to curb roadside pick-up operations and limit exposure to criminal activities, especially ‘one-chance’ robbery—a persistent threat for commuters in the nation’s capital.
