Minister Bosun Tijani clarifies comments on tracking terrorists

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has issued a clarification following public criticism of comments he made during a December 12, 2025, interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

During the interview, which primarily focused on the government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, Tijani addressed questions about why security agencies face challenges tracking criminals who use mobile phones to coordinate kidnappings and negotiate ransoms, despite the mandatory National Identification Number-SIM linkage policy introduced in 2020.

“There was an exercise that was conducted by the telcos to clean out all SIMs. 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 [criminals] were using to call,” Tijani explained during the interview.

“They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers,” he added. The statement has attracted harsh criticisms by Nigerians on X.

Bosun Tijani

The minister’s comments come two years after a former communications minister, Isa Pantami, explained why the government cannot track terrorists.

“Cybercrime is under the office of the national security advisor and other security institutions.

“Our role in cybersecurity is to ensure we minimise the possibility of a criminal deploying technology to commit a crime. So our work is proactive. At the same time, if the crime is committed and our intervention is required officially, then we will intervene.

“So, here, we need to reintroduce the national NIN and civil registrations when it comes to minimising the probability of criminals committing a crime. Two, we enforce the NIN registration. NIN registration is by law in Nigeria; NIN is mandatory for all citizens,” Pantami said at the 19th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023) held in January 2023.

Bosun Tijani clarifies comments on terrorists tracking

In a statement released over the weekend titled “Clarification on Channels Interview,” Tijani sought to reframe his comments within the broader context of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure development.

“Over the past two days, there has been significant public discussion around a comment I made during an interview on Channels Television. I would like to clarify the intention behind that part of the conversation and encourage everyone to watch the full interview,” Tijani stated, providing a link to the complete programme.

The minister explained that his objective was to highlight how gaps in digital infrastructure and connectivity represent both development and security vulnerabilities.

Fibre cut repairs: Image Copyright: James Arthur Photography

Tijani outlined three major initiatives the federal government is implementing to address connectivity gaps across Nigeria:

Project Bridge, a 90,000-kilometre national fibre-optic backbone designed to connect every geopolitical zone, state, and local government area, providing the foundation for ubiquitous connectivity.

The deployment of 3,700 new telecom towers to unserved and underserved communities, which will enable over 23 million Nigerians who are currently unconnected to access reliable communication services.

The strengthening of NIGCOMSAT, including the replacement of its current satellite and the launch of two new communication satellites, is to further enhance national coverage and resilience.

“Together, these investments will deepen connectivity across the country, strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy, and ensure that digital infrastructure contributes meaningfully to economic prosperity, inclusion, and national development,” Tijani stated.

The minister emphasised that his comments were made in this context, noting: “My comments were made in this context, to highlight why closing connectivity gaps matters, and how this administration is deliberately working to address them.”

Context of security concerns

The interview came amid heightened public concern over persistent insecurity across Nigeria, particularly in northern states. Recent weeks have seen schoolchildren abducted by bandits in Niger and Kebbi states, and attacks on churches in Kogi and Kwara states. The surge in kidnappings and attacks prompted the Nigeria Labour Congress to schedule a nationwide protest for December 17.

During the interview, Tijani also addressed network issues affecting users in Abuja, explaining that a dispute between a major tower management company and its diesel supplier had triggered widespread call disruptions. “The company that supplies the telecommunication companies with diesel had issues with the companies and started locking up their stations; it affected service,” he said.

The minister further noted that Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure has not been significantly upgraded in the past decade, while user numbers have increased sevenfold during the same period.

He called for massive investment in the telecommunications sector, noting that when tariffs increased in January, telecommunications companies were able to invest one billion naira in equipment.

Watch the interview below: