September 5, 2021

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecoms service providers to shut down services in Zamfara State for two weeks.

This was disclosed in a memo signed on Friday by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, and addressed to Globacom, one of the telecoms providers.

According to the memo, the shutdown of the telecoms sites had become necessary due to the lingering insecurity in the state.

“The pervading security situation in Zamfara has necessitated an immediate shutdown of all telecommunications services in the state from today, September 3, 2021. This is to enable relevant security agencies to carry out the required activities towards addressing the security challenge in the state.

“In line with this requirement, Globacom is hereby directed to shut down all sites in Zamfara State and any sites(s) in neighbouring states that could provide telecommunications services in Zamfara State. The site shut down is for two weeks from September 3 to September 17, 2021, in the first instance. Your urgent action in this regard is required,” the memo read in part.

Zamfara, in the north west Nigeria, has been the grazing ground for terrorists engaged in kidnapping and killings, a trend traced to the flourishing of illegal mining of gold and other minerals which are in commercial deposits in the state.

This decision is coming six months after the Federal Government declared Zamfara State a ‘no-fly zone’ and banned all mining activities in the state.

Recently, the government shut down schools after the abduction of 73 students from a public school in the state.

The abduction occurred 11 days after students abducted from the College of Agriculture in Bakura, Zamfara, regained freedom.

The state governor Bello Matawalle also suspended the transportation of livestock beyond the state’s borders and ordered the closure of weekly markets across the state.

The shut down directive by NCC was linked to a security advice.