NEWS
“Bandits Exploit Advanced Call-Evasion Technology as FG Moves to Bolster Telecom and Satellite Infrastructure” — Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Hon. Bosun Tijani Reveals on Channels TV
…says Bandits Use Special Technology To Evade Tracking
Nigeria’s deepening security challenges have again been linked to sophisticated technological tactics employed by criminal networks, as the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed that bandits now rely on unconventional communication systems to evade security surveillance.
Speaking during a chat with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday night, Tijani revealed that the monitoring of bandits’ communications for intelligence gathering is far more complex than many Nigerians assume.
According to the minister, criminal groups have adopted advanced methods that deliberately frustrate conventional call-tracking mechanisms used by security agencies.
Tijani explained that rather than relying on standard telecommunications infrastructure, bandits exploit technology that allows their calls to be rerouted through multiple transmission points, making interception extremely difficult.
“The reason why the president actually pushed us to invest in towers in those areas is that we realised that there was a special kind of technology that they [the 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.”
The minister noted that this deliberate preference for remote and poorly connected locations gives criminal elements a strategic advantage, as the absence of standard telecom infrastructure limits effective monitoring and real-time intelligence gathering by security agencies.
In response, Tijani disclosed that the federal government is intensifying efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital surveillance capacity by upgrading satellite infrastructure. He explained that space-based assets would provide a critical backup where terrestrial networks are either weak or unavailable.
“Because if our towers are not working, our satellites will work,” he said.
The minister stressed that the situation underscores an urgent national need for heavy and sustained investment in telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in underserved and high-risk regions. Drawing a comparison with global best practices, Tijani highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit.
“If you go to China, they have over four million 5G towers. The total number of towers we have in Nigeria is just about 40,000,” Tijani said.
His comments come amid a renewed surge in insecurity across the country, with northern states bearing the brunt in recent weeks. Several schoolchildren have been abducted by bandits in Niger and Kebbi states, while deadly attacks have also been recorded in churches in Kogi and Kwara states, heightening national anxiety.
The growing wave of kidnappings, killings and attacks on communities has triggered widespread public outrage and recognize the gravity of the crisis, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has fixed December 17 for a nationwide protest to demand decisive action to address insecurity.
As the federal government weighs both kinetic and technological responses, Tijani’s revelations have cast new light on how modern communication technology is being weaponised by criminal groups and why closing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure gap may be as critical to national security as boots on the ground.