Bwala Explains Why Bandits Online Are Harder to Track Than Angry Citizens

Daniel Bwala, who serves as President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, has shared why security agencies struggle to trace bandits who show off ransom money on platforms like TikTok, while ordinary Nigerians who post complaints online are quickly located.

In a recent interview, Bwala was asked why it seems easier for authorities to go after citizens expressing frustration online than to arrest criminals who have taken lives and destroyed property.

He explained that the difference lies in the type of internet services being used. According to him, most Nigerians use local internet providers, which makes it easier for security agencies to trace their online activity. But many of the bandits, he said, rely on foreign or satellite-based services that are harder to monitor.

“There is a regulatory body in Nigeria that has the database of Nigerians and their phone numbers. There is also a body that deals with internet service provision where if you are using an internet service covered within the sphere of Nigeria, they can trace through the IP address where you are.

“If you are using Starlink, we cannot trace it because Starlink is not registered in Nigeria, it is in space. That is the problem they have in Ukraine and Russia. These terrorists most of the time are using cellular services from the neighbouring countries and not from Nigeria, so it becomes tricky.’’

Bwala’s comments shed light on the technical challenges facing law enforcement in the digital age, especially when criminals use tools that fall outside Nigeria’s regulatory reach.