Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has revealed that bandits and other criminal networks in Nigeria are employing sophisticated communication technologies that make it increasingly difficult for security agencies to track their activities, including ransom negotiations.
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday night, December 12, 2025, Tijani described criminal operations within the telecom space as "far more technical" than many realise, even as the government continues efforts to strengthen identification and monitoring systems.
Addressing public concerns over kidnappers' persistent use of unregistered lines despite the mandatory NIN-SIM linkage policy introduced years ago, the minister explained that criminals have adapted advanced methods to evade detection.
"There was an exercise conducted by the telcos to clean out all SIMs," he said. "The reason the President pushed us to invest in towers in those areas was the fact that we realised there was a special type of technology they were using to call."
Tijani disclosed that criminal gangs now bounce calls across multiple telecom towers to mask their locations, a tactic that proves particularly effective in remote, unconnected areas where they often operate.
"They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers. That’s why they enjoy living in areas that are unconnected," he added.
To counter these challenges, the minister highlighted ongoing government initiatives, noting that Nigeria is the only country in West Africa currently operating its own communications satellites.
"This is why we are upgrading our two satellites, so that if our towers are not working, our satellites will work," he stated, emphasising efforts to close existing security gaps through enhanced infrastructure.
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