How Communication Failure In Zamfara Caused Deadly Attack On Troops

The assault on a ahead operation base of troops deployed for anti-banditry operation in Zamfara State Saturday morning was aided by the failure of communication among the many combating forces, Day by day Belief can report.

Gunmen had killed 12 safety personnel comprising 9 naval rankings, two policemen and a soldier through the raid on the bottom in Mutumji, close to the banditry-ravaged city of Dansadau. Citing safety sources, AFP information company reported that the attackers stole weapons and likewise set homes on fireplace.

“The attackers stormed the bottom round 10:30am and engaged the troops in a fierce gun battle,” one safety supply stated.

“They subdued the troops and killed 12 of them. They embody 9 naval personnel, a soldier and two policemen.”

A second safety supply confirmed the casualties.

The bottom in Mutumji is described as a key website for logistics and reconnaissance within the military’s struggle towards bandits within the space.

‘No communication amongst troops’

A reputable safety supply instructed Day by day Belief that bandits took benefit of the shortage of safety communication devices and laid siege on troops on the Mutumji.

“Whereas the jamming of GSM in Zamfara has gone a good distance in taming the bandits, it additionally has a unfavourable impact on troops as a result of communication amongst them was additionally extraordinarily restricted,” the supply stated.

“A lot of the foot troopers relied on regular telephone networks as an alternative of any of the specialised communication devices that needs to be deployed throughout operations such because the one occurring within the North West.

“Solely the highest commanders have army radio or walkie-talkie, that means these within the frontlines would solely use their private cellphones that are now not accessible.
“The bandits took benefit of this and attacked them at their ahead operation base. As you possibly can see, the assault was launched on Saturday but it surely solely got here to the fore days after,” he stated. One other supply stated there was the necessity to deploy specialised communication devices for the troops.

“The ban on communication in Zamfara and components of Katsina isn’t unhealthy in its entirety however the army excessive command ought to have taken be aware of the adversarial impact on troops.”

Telecom suspension pricey, has no NSA clearance – Supply

A safety supply instructed Day by day Belief that the shutdown of the telecom channels was not well-thought-out and bypassed the due strategy of getting clearance from the Nationwide Safety Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, who oversees cyber safety.

“What actually occurred was that Matawalle made a request to (Communications and Digital Economic system minister) Pantami who went on to the president who permitted with out enter from the workplace of NSA.

“That call has a nationwide safety implication. No nation will disconnect the community with out analysing nationwide safety implications. By that motion, a number of nationwide safety surveillance capabilities that depend on the community had been shut out. Prior to now, will probably be inconceivable for NCC to do that with out approvals from ONSA.”

The safety personnel stated he couldn’t confirm “If Pantami acted with out recommendation or purposely disregarded the NSA”.

However an aide of Pantami stated the directive to close down telecommunications in Zamfara State was issued by President Muhammad Buhari to prime officers concerned within the safety subject.

A media aide to Pantami, Yusuf Abubakar, instructed Day by day Belief that the minister couldn’t have bypassed the Nationwide Safety Adviser (NSA) to acquire a directive from the president as he isn’t the official concerned immediately on the Zamfara safety subject.

Abubakar stated: “The directive (to close down telecom websites) got here from the president and each (the minister and NSA) are working for the president. I don’t assume there’s any want for the minister to touch upon it. Extra so, this can be a safety subject and everyone shouldn’t be commenting on it. The minister isn’t the chief safety officer of Zamfara and he has no (direct safety) function to play within the safety state of affairs there.”

How bandits bypass communication ban

Day by day Belief gathered that the bandits whose actions had been adversely affected by the jamming of communication networks had been devising means to bypass the blockade.

Certainly one of them who spoke to Day by day Belief stated a few of them had been utilizing Thuraya satellite tv for pc telephones, whereas others use Airtel and Glo, the 2 networks whose providers had been nonetheless obtainable in some components of the state.

“There are locations the place you may make calls you probably have Airtel or Glo line,” stated Shehu Rekeb, a famend bandit by telephone. He boasted that they nonetheless may afford gadgets they wanted regardless of the ban on weekly markets and telephone networks.

However a supply aware of happenings in Zamfara stated most bandits have fled to locations like Kebbe and Tureta in Sokoto State and Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna to flee the blockade in Zamfara. Rekeb, who confirmed relocation of among the bandits to Lambar Tureta, in Sokoto, stated he and different kingpins stay inside their “identified location in Zamfara”.