Banditry, network shutdown: Kaduna government is chasing shadows

Roughly five weeks now, the Kaduna State government ordered the shutdown of telecoms networks in a bid to launch an offensive and disrupt bandits’ operations in some areas of the state. But, from indices, the strategy has worsened insecurity and inflicted unwarranted and unbearable inconvenience on the inhabitants. Network shutdown was only seemingly effective within […]

Roughly five weeks now, the Kaduna State government ordered the shutdown of telecoms networks in a bid to launch an offensive and disrupt bandits’ operations in some areas of the state. But, from indices, the strategy has worsened insecurity and inflicted unwarranted and unbearable inconvenience on the inhabitants. Network shutdown was only seemingly effective within the first three weeks in Zamfara. Bandits have since bypassed the network shutdown as at the time Kaduna copiously adopted for the failed strategy. The bandits had found ways to contact victims’ families and still impose extra charges due to network difficulty. The government’s  approach of shutting down telecommunications networks with the hope that it would stop banditry is therefore akin to chasing shadow.

One would like to ask what has so far been the gain of the shutdown. Within the past five weeks two people were killed by bandits in Zango Kataf. They also attacked Catholic Seminary, abducted  three seminarians and injured six others in Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Few days ago, bandits attacked Baptist Church in Kaduna, killed two, and abducted scores, despite telecoms shutdown.

in Sokoto, bandits just imposed new village heads in Sokoto communities, even reopened markets. Isn’t the telecommunications shutdown now a futile strategy?

With  facts, evidence abound that spontaneous interactions via telecommunications have prevented many residents from running into attacks. Now amidst network blockage, bandits could comfortably carry out their dastardly acts unrestrained because the victims are shut from telecommunications. Many victims are trapped; they cannot communicate while in distress and they cannot receive information about an impending attack.

The government is shutting down telecommunications networks at a time when it is supposed to admonish telecommunications providers to strengthen full network coverage across Kaduna State so that people in distress can place a call to Swift Response Team for rescue and prompt offensives on the bandits. I have never heard of anywhere in the world where they resort to shutting down telecommunications networks in a bid to curb crimes.   

Bandits attack when there is network and when there is no network. What is the usefulness of shutting down telecommunications networks if banditry attacks still persist? What is the essence of infringing on the rights of the inhabitants to access telecommunications and communicate – all in a futile strategy of fighting banditry?

Because of the incessant banditry attacks, one would have thought the government would constitute a standby and proactive Swift Response Team at strategic locations across the state – especially, notorious areas and provide hotlines to reach the security operatives. Enforcing full network coverage across the state will even aid Swift Response Team operations. Instead, the government opted to shut the networks.

Obviously, no need consulting a soothsayer to know that the strategy has failed, making lives difficult and practically inflicting unbearable pain on the citizens whom the governor swore to protect.

Kaduna State government shouldn’t see telecommunication as a security threat; rather, a friendly tool that would assist in routing banditry.

Network shutdown is ill-conceived, ill-advised, ineffective, archaic and counterproductive – approach of tackling banditry and terrorism. Such an approach is never adopted anywhere in the world; why?

At this juncture, it is an illusion for Kaduna to hold on to phone network outage strategy. Lift telecommunications shutdown and restrategise.

Odewale Abayomi can be reached via [email protected]