President Muhammadu Buhari paid a two-day working visit to Kaduna last week. He arrived the Kaduna International Airport on the night of Wednesday, January the 19th, 2022, straight from the Gambia. He had gone to the Gambia to witness the swearing in of President Adama Barrow for a second term in office.

The President was in the state to commission projects in Kaduna City, Zaria and Kafanchan. He was received at the airport by Governor Nasir El-Rufai and senior officials of the Kaduna State Government.

On Thursday the 20th of January 2020, President Buhari commissioned the newly constructed Infectious Diseases Hospital in Mando, Kaduna.

He also commissioned the Kawo Flyover in Kaduna. The flyover is a dual carriageway with three ground rotaries.

He commissioned the Barbedos Fertiliser Plant in Kaduna.

More from the commissioning of the Barbedos Fertiliser Plant.

The President then travelled to Kafanchan in Southern Kaduna where he commissioned several roads and visited the Emir of Kafanchan.

Pictures of the roads that the President commissioned in Kafanchan.

Back in Kaduna, he commissioned a school in Rigasa.

And he also commissioned the Leventis Underpass.

On the 21st of January, the President travelled to Zaria by helicopter to commission more projects.

He commissioned the Sabon Gari Market in Zaria.

More pictures of the Sabon Gari Market.

Sabon Gari Market

He also commissioned several roads in Zaria including the Circular Road and the Queen Elizabeth Road.

More pictures of the commissioning of the roads in Zaria

The President paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Zaria who gave him a horse as a gift.

More pictures from the Palace of the Emir of Zaria.

Back in Kaduna, the President commissioned the AMA Medical Manufacturing Company. The $12 million facility is expected to create 600 direct jobs and over 1000 indirect jobs when it fully commences operations.

A state banquet was organised for him on the night of the 21st of January.

In his speech, Governor El-Rufai said:

I wish to thank the current Kaduna State contingent of elected senators and members of the House of Representatives for the bipartisan cohesion and commitment to the interest of Kaduna State.

Mr President will recall that we mistakenly elected two senators, on the platform of the APC, that blocked access to financing for the projects of this state. The people of Kaduna State voted them out and have vowed that they are politically dead on arrival forever.

So, we are saying goodbye to Former Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and Former Senator Shehu Sani

President Buhari joked (at the beginning of his speech) :

I was watching and following what the Prime Minister of the UK was going through politically for attending a party when he was supposed to be under lockdown. I hope that it wouldn't happen to me.

(Governor El-Rufai assured him that PCR test results were required for entry into the venue of the banquet).

More pictures from the state banquet.

State banquet.

President Buhari departed Kaduna by helicopter on the morning of the 22nd of January.

I saved this for last.

President Muhammadu Buhari also commissioned the remodelled Murtala Square in Kaduna on the 20th of January.

The Kaduna Race Course (which was the venue for horse racing events) was remodelled in the 1970s for the Festival of Black Arts and Culture (FESTAC) and it was renamed after General Murtala Muhammed.


It was historically the venue of horse racing events and it is also the location of the Kaduna Polo Club ground, Kaduna State Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Indoor Sport Hall among others.

The square also hosts facilities like gymnasiums, an indoor sport hall, football fields, a hockey pitch, etc. Many public events are held at the square, such as the Kaduna Grand Durbar, Kaduna Centenary Celebrations, Nigeria's Independence Day parade, May Day, Inauguration Ceremony of Governors, Army Day, Human Rights Day, etc.

It now serves as a park and a venue where residents of Kaduna can go and relax.


The square was in a bad shape and the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai decided to remodel, reconstruct and renovate it. The renovated Murtala Square was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari and here are pictures of the square and the event.

Pictures of Murtala Square.

The lights are powered by solar panels.

The race course, relaxation centres and five-a-side football pitch (pictures of the football pitch were taken in June last year when it was still under construction).

More pictures of the football pitch.

Google Map images of the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna.

End.

Right, let the negative comments and attempts at derailing begin.

Another banger from the legendary