Minister Reveals How Bandits Use "Tower Hopping" to Evade Capture, Tinubu Approves Rural Tower Blitz

In a startling revelation that exposes a critical vulnerability in Nigeria's security strategy, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has detailed how criminal gangs use sophisticated communication tricks to operate with impunity in the country's vast unconnected areas. The federal government, now aware of this gap, is responding with a massive infrastructure project aimed at literally connecting the dots to combat insecurity.

The "Tower Hopping" Tactic

During an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, Minister Tijani explained that the common assumption—that bandits use unregistered SIM cards—is not the primary issue. Instead, these criminal networks have adopted a more technical method to avoid detection.

"They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers," Tijani stated. This technique, effectively "hopping" a signal across several cell towers, makes it extremely difficult for security agencies to pin down a caller's true location. The method is most effective in remote, rural regions with sparse network coverage, which explains why bandits heavily favor operating in these "largely unconnected" areas.

This technological workaround renders traditional tracking methods less effective and provides a clear explanation for the persistence of kidnappings and attacks in regions with poor telecommunications infrastructure.

Tinubu's Connectivity Counter-Offensive

In direct response to this security threat, President Bola Tinubu's administration has launched a major counter-initiative focused on infrastructure. The Federal Executive Council has approved the deployment of 4,000 new telecommunications towers to underserved and unconnected communities across Nigeria.

This project, estimated to cost around ₦160 billion, has a clear dual purpose: to bridge the digital divide for approximately 23 million Nigerians and to close the security loopholes exploited by criminals. Information Minister Mohammed Idris confirmed that improved coverage will "help in fighting insecurity" by enhancing surveillance capabilities and enabling reliable emergency communications.

The rollout is a partnership with the Chinese tech giant Huawei and is scheduled to begin next year. It forms one part of a broader "connectivity plan" that also includes expanding Nigeria's fibre-optic cable network and upgrading the country's two communications satellites. "If our towers are not working, our satellites will work," Tijani emphasized, noting that Nigeria is the only country in West Africa with its own communication satellites.

A Broader Security Emergency

This telecommunications push is unfolding within the context of a wider security crisis. Just last week, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency, announcing measures including the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers and tighter protection for schools and places of worship.

The minister's revelations also indirectly address the limitations of past drastic measures, such as the telecoms shutdown implemented in states like Zamfara in 2021. While such blackouts aimed to disrupt criminal networks, the new strategy seeks to overpower them with comprehensive coverage, thereby restoring vital services and economic activity to vulnerable regions.

The success of this ambitious plan hinges on overcoming significant logistical hurdles, including high deployment costs, vandalism of infrastructure, and complex right-of-way regulations. However, the government's move signals a strategic pivot from reactive shutdowns to a proactive, technology-driven campaign to reclaim Nigeria's unconnected spaces from the grip of criminal elements.