Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said that criminals’ reliance on foreign internet services makes it difficult for Nigerian security agencies to track bandits.

Speaking in an interview with Nigeriainfofm, shared on Instagram on Friday, Bwala explained that while local social media platforms and internet providers can be monitored through Nigeria’s regulatory bodies, tracing criminals who operate via foreign services is far more complex.

“Nigeria has a regulatory body with citizens’ phone databases and another overseeing internet service provision. If you use a service within Nigeria’s coverage, they can trace your IP address. But if you are using Starlink, we cannot trace it because Starlink is not registered in Nigeria; it operates from space,” Bwala said.

He added that many terrorists exploit cellular networks from neighbouring countries, making surveillance even more challenging.

Bwala’s remarks reveals the technological hurdles confronting security agencies in their fight against banditry and terrorism.

Nigeria continues to grapple with worsening insecurity, particularly in the northwest and northeast, where bandit attacks, school kidnappings, and highway raids have surged in recent months, spreading fear and disrupting local economies.