The Senator representing Borno South senatorial district, Ali Ndume, has blamed Nigeria’s security challenges on insufficient satellite coverage, saying the nation’s limited technological resources were hampering real-time tracking of criminals.

Ndume stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s current affairs programme ‘Politics Today’ on Thursday night.

He cited the recent case of a missing Brigade Commander to illustrate the problem, stating that
Nigeria was unable to trace a Army General who was missing in action.

“You can google my position or even use Google Maps to see a location. But that does not mean we can see what is happening in real-time from our satellites, not even in a studio, let alone in sensitive security situations.

“You know, one of the fundamental problems in our security sector is that we don’t have the ability to track criminals in real-time. Nigeria has only four satellites, and one of them has issues. Four satellites are significant, but they are not adequate to solve the country’s security challenges,” Ndume said.

He emphasised the need for technology and intelligence in addressing the country’s insurgency and terrorism challenges.

According to him, real-time tracking requires multiple satellites in orbit, a capacity Nigeria currently lacks.

Ndume stressed the importance of collaboration with technologically advanced nations to fill the gap, urging Nigeria to work with countries like China, Russia, France, and the US, which have numerous satellites while Nigeria only has four.

“This warfare we are facing cannot be tackled with bare hands and guns alone. We need technological support and real-time intelligence. Nigeria must recognise its deficiencies and act to correct them. It is shameful that a few thousand terrorists can terrorise a population of over 200 million.

“If we had the capacity, cases like the Chibok girls kidnapping could have been better managed. America was able to give us information because they had satellites monitoring the situation. We don’t have that capability.

“We only have aerial images and limited UAVs, Tucanos, and attack helicopters. None of these can function effectively without proper satellite coverage,” he said.

The Senator also criticised the excessive security men attached to political figures and VIPs, saying it was an abuse of office, which diverts resources from the general population.

“Some ministers have police attached to their wives and children. This is wrong. Securing Abuja or personalities while ordinary citizens remain vulnerable is unacceptable. If you secure the nation, people should feel safe walking in their neighbourhoods,” he said.

He described President Bola Tinubu’s decision to withdraw police escorts from VIPs as one of the most commendable actions in recent times. “This should be implemented effectively. Security resources should prioritise the safety of all citizens, not just a select few,” Ndume stated.