Sokoto State Government has shut down telecommunications networks in 14 of the 23 local government areas of the state as part of the efforts to check banditry.
The State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, announced the measure on Monday during an interview with Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service.
Tambuwal said the state secured approval from the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, before enforcing the ban on Monday, adding that the affected council areas are the most vulnerable to bandit attacks in the state.
Sokoto is the third state to shut down telecommunications network after Zamfara and Katsina, where all parts of the state and 13 LGAs are affected respectively.
The governments of the two North-west states announced the suspension of telecommunications networks and banned weekly markets and sale of petrol in jerry cans, among other drastic measures to check the activities of bandits.
Tambuwal explained that following the ban in Zamfara, bandits have intensified attacks in Sokoto.
He said, “Due to the ongoing military successes in Zamfara State, the bandits are fleeing to Sokoto.”
However, the governor said the seven governors of the region had agreed on the network ban to flush out the bandits but this could not be done.
