Abuja, Nigeria – Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, don finally open mouth about how the Federal Government dey use telecom sector to tackle security wahala for the country. According to him, no be small matter as e get plenty technical things wey people no dey understand.
As we sabi, the telecom sector no dey gree rest since 2020, when government begin make everybody link their National Identification Number with SIM. Dem do am to fit curb fraud and crime wey dey happen with unregistered lines (abeg, no be all of us sabi play the game). Tijani don admit sey the public dey vex about all these kidnapping and ransom issues wey dey happen, especially through those unregistered SIMs. Na real posh wahala be that!
But oga Tijani no just sit down dey complain. Him talk sey dem don do plenty work to clean out those bad SIMs. “The President dey push us to invest in towers for areas wey dey face wahala. We don sabi sey criminal dem dey use special technology to call people.” Wetin you dey talk? Na so una wan take catch dem? E get as e be!
He yan sey some criminals don change their game small. Instead of using normal towers, dem dey bounce calls from one tower to another, especially for areas wey connection no too dey good. “Na why dem dey enjoy to stay for bush areas wey no dey connected,” Tijani talk. No be small strategy be that o!
To fix this wahala, e come outline new plans wey include satellite upgrades and fibre expansion. E even mention sey Naija na the only West African country wey get im own communication satellites (talk about flexing!). According to am, “We dey upgrade our two satellites so sey if our towers no dey work, our satellites go still dey shine.” Abeg, we go need am file!
As if that one no be enough, Tijani drop more gist sey dem go dey deploy 4,000 new telecom towers for rural areas wey dey suffer from poor coverage. This one go help reduce the blackspots wey kidnappers dey use. And o, dem dey do am with Huawei. “Na why we don put plenty money for fibre investment,” him add. No be this kind sweet collabo every padi go like?
Him come drop more gist about when these satellites go come live, sey dat part go take small time, but the other two be plenty work dey happen as we dey tok.
Before we go forget, remember sey the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) don try shut down telecom services for Zamfara State in September 2021 because of security issues. Dem talk sey e help the military catch bandits well-well since dem shut down the networks. But by October 2021, dem come restore service for Gusau because e dey important for people wey dey suffer without network.
So, wetin una dey think? Na real work dem dey do, or na just mere talk? We go keep our eyes on dem and see how e go turn out!
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor@nnn.ng
