Key tracking equipment deployed by the police to go after kidnappers, bandits and terrorists has remained inactive since the beginning of the year amid raging violent crimes across the country, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

Multiple reliable sources, who confided in Sunday PUNCH, attributed the downtime to non-subscription and failure to engage the relevant company to carry out system upgrade, among other challenges.

At least 2, 943 people in Nigeria have been abducted across the country in the last six months since the critical tracking technology was down.

Experts have noted that the use of mobile devices by kidnappers to negotiate ransoms makes it possible for law enforcement agencies to determine the movements of the cell phone owners.

Even if users have their location services, cellular data and Wi-Fi disabled, tracking system enables law enforcement agencies to have access to the technology that can determine the location of a mobile device at a specified time.

Senior police officers, including two commissioners of police who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said the platforms used in tracking phones had been bad since January.

They said in certain cases that were of national interest, the police had to rely on the Office of the National Security Adviser in tracking bandits.

One of the commissioners of police, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said the equipment was handed over to the police by the Nigerian government a few years ago during the tenure of IGP Solomon Arase and was installed by a Nigerian company.

“The equipment was given to us by President Buhari. The thing has not been working because those who are supposed to ensure that it runs well have not played their part.

“They claim that they are being owed money for the subscription.” he said.

When asked to explain how the subscription works, the CP said the police had not paid the fees since 2015 and the police had had to rely on the DSS.

He added, “From what I gathered, subscription fees are meant to be paid yearly but you won’t believe that the police have not paid since 2015. Initially, the company gave us a grace period but they have now cut off the police completely. We now rely solely on DSS and NSA office. It’s a terrible situation and it has worsened the insecurity in the country. The Police Trust Fund promised to help but we have not seen any action yet.”

Another police commissioner confirmed the development but said efforts were being made to restore the equipment.

The police commissioner added that the platform was undergoing a system upgrade which would soon be completed.

He added, “You know this thing is technology just like computer so we do upgrades from time to time. A lot of people on the field don’t even understand how it works. It is undergoing an upgrade because you have new features coming in from time to time. There are new technologies that you have to update to enhance their capacity.

“We have some new equipment which we need to adjust so they can link together. Some are still working. It is not as if all components are shut. That is what is happening.”

Efforts to speak with the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, proved abortive as he neither responded to calls nor a text message on Friday.

Amid the prolonged police tracking system glitches, at least 2, 943 people in Nigeria have been abducted across the country in the last six months even as the police platform used in tracking phones has shut down, making it difficult for the police to track bandits, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

Source: https://punchng.com/Major-police-tracking-equipment-down-detectives-struggle-to-trace-bandits-others

Clowns everywhere.

WAR AGAINST BOKO HARAM IS WAR AGAINST THE NORTH—-ALHAJI MOHOMODU BIN HARI

Xiaomi1:
upon the billions budgeted for police every year. Its a sorry case

Hmmnnn!.......

But u arrested their bread supplier n brought him to media ? Dumb people everywhere

But they can kidnap kanu from kenya
Well no matter what fulani terrorists can’t take over eastern region

Catapult are now used to fight bandit

And millions were budgeted for those

Bunch of clowns that only were there best uniforms to arrest peaceful protesters

Key tracking equipment deployed by the police to go after kidnappers, bandits and terrorists has remained inactive since the beginning of the year amid raging violent crimes across the country, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

Bullcrap !

Even the Presidency has gone inactive in addressing myriads of economic challenge demanding for answers.

They didn't link their NIN as Pantdemic demanded , that's why bandits can kill without ceasing.

---

See explanation abeg.

Before it stopped working early this year, how many bandits/robbers have you successfully tracked and captured?

adenigga:

Source: https://punchng.com/Major-police-tracking-equipment-down-detectives-struggle-to-trace-bandits-others

Chai...LMAO

We need young visionary leaders in Nigeria.

@Seniorwriter

I want to lay a curse on the supporters of this regime but I ain't no witch. All I can say is that may they experience what ordinary Nigerians in Kaduna, the northeast, rural south go through.
You can't be in the city of Abuja or Lagos and be typing support for this government. May you experience banditry, Fulani herdsmen, kidnapping and social vices as others. Say Amen!

Everything in Naija na scam

Xiaomi1:
upon the billions budgeted for police every year. Its a sorry case

no mind that clown Usman

Ok

Something dats been down since last year. A police friend told me how they've not been tracking phones for a long time now becos of it but yet wen Nigerians want to protest against the govt d same lots are sent to attack protesters. U can't track bandits and terrorists but U tracked Nnamdi Kanu to a foreign soil. Now why is Pantami fixated on linking NIN wen even their tracking equipment isn't functional. The govt is behind bandits and terrorists

Whoa. I smelt a rat. Bandit within the police force spoilt the equipment

Funny

Is this even an excuse
But you can travel outside the country to arrest someone
Nonsense and pantami

G

They will rather use the money to pursue 2 people up-an-dan. When they have more serious matters.

Na today? Usual story

Something they ve looted and sold. Nigeria police is very useless and corrupt

Nigerian police matter is nothing to write home about.. even the fee for that tracking equipment they haven't paid, I'm sure the Nigerian police force have been given the money and the Ogas at the top have shared it among themselves.. no be this country we dey

The police top hierachy in collusion with politicians are those frustrating, sabotaging all efforts to make our policing system a world class.

Leadership in this part of the world is too conservative to align with global progressivism. Imagine a country where the president spends N75m to barb hair in a year can't spend a meagre N26m to purchase tracking gadget to monitor kidnappers and bandits.

The gadgets being used by Abba Kyari and his IRT guys was said to cost about N26m, but our government is not ready look the direction that will proliferate the avalanche availability of the gadget.

Gadgets and equipments are game changers to fight crimes in this modern age, but the stealing DNA in our leaders is a major clog.

Is that so?

How was Chidinma Ojukwu tracked to her crib in Yaba? Or how was other profiled crime cases tackled since the beginning of the year.

Believe this theory, act anyhow and book a room in Kirikiri.

This is a poorly written article that leaves much to be desired of punch editors who signed off on its publishing.

The article says absolutely nothing and appears to be mere conjectures meant to entice readers to buy the paper or click on the link for increased engagement.

There should be more solid statements of facts if a little research was done. Why can't the name of the application be disclosed? Or the company that installed it? Sharing capabilities of the DSS or DMI or NOA isn't a big deal, which should not prevent tracking of these criminals.

And when someone says "the thing is technology" shows a layman was the undisclosed source. Efforts should have been made to speak to someone more informed.

Punch contradicted itself numerously by giving multiple causes of the failure as sole reason of the inability to track criminals.
The equipment is bad; the equipment requires ulgrade; the equipment requires subscription; the vendor is being owed

This is either a poor excuse of the police not tracking the criminals or a poor excuse of everyhing else.