“They are using internet services from neighboring countries, not Nigeria” — Presidential aide Daniel Bwala explains why security agents struggle to track terrorists on social media

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has shed light on why security agents face challenges tracing armed bandits who flaunt ransom money on platforms like TikTok.

In a recent radio interview, Bwala was asked why authorities can quickly track Nigerians using social media to vent frustrations, yet struggle to trace bandits responsible for killings and property destruction.

Bwala explained:

“There’s a regulatory body in Nigeria that maintains the database of Nigerians and their phone numbers. There’s also oversight of internet service providers within Nigeria, so users on domestic networks can be traced via IP address.
If someone is using Starlink, we cannot trace them because it isn’t registered in Nigeria — it operates from space. This is the same challenge seen in Ukraine and Russia.
Most of these terrorists rely on cellular networks from neighboring countries, not Nigeria, which makes tracking them tricky.”

Watch his full explanation below.