The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has revealed that bandits are using sophisticated technology to make phone calls and evade security surveillance.
Tijani made the disclosure on Friday during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
According to the minister, monitoring the calls of bandits for intelligence purposes is “more technical” than generally assumed, as the criminals bounce calls across multiple towers to confuse security agents.
“The reason why the President actually pushed us to invest in towers in those areas is that we realised there was a special kind of technology that they [bandits] were using to call,” Tijani said. “They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That is why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected.”
He said the Federal Government is also working to upgrade Nigeria’s satellites to strengthen security monitoring. “Because if our towers are not working, our satellites will work,” he added.
Tijani stressed the need for significant investment in telecommunication infrastructure, noting that while China has over four million 5G towers, Nigeria has about 40,000.
The minister’s comments come amid a surge in insecurity across the country, particularly in the northern region, where schoolchildren have been abducted in Niger and Kebbi states, and churches attacked in Kogi and Kwara states.
In response, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has scheduled a nationwide protest for December 17 to address the growing insecurity.
