[3] The highway has gained a reputation for being unsafe for travellers, and has been described as "the most dangerous road in the country", due to violent kidnappings and murders.
[5] The highway was again blocked by protesters in May 2021,[6] in an effort to force the government to address the safety issues on the road.
[7] The police and army have cooperated to in an effort to restore both safety and public confidence in the road.
[11][12][13] On 19 May, the Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai announced that several communities along the highway would be relocated, as residents were suspected of assisting and colluding with kidnappers.
[14][15] However some residents protested this, stating that only a small number of people were involved in criminal activity, and it would be more suitable to target those individuals than relocate the communities.