By Yunusa Zakari Yaú

 

As part of its effort in the search for a solution to the problem of cattle rustling across most of the Northern states, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) established the Cattle Rustling Information System (CATRIS) in 2015.

 

The system is to provide documentation as well as a real-time alert system to relevant officials and agencies on reports of cattle theft so that immediate steps could be taken to rescue them and apprehend the rustlers. It was formally unveiled to stakeholders, consisting of law enforcement officers, community leaders, traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups and media on April 26, 2016, in Kano.

 

The impetus to the initiative was a project on using social media to promote peace that CITAD was implementing with support from MacArthur Foundation.

 

While the project focused on using social media for sensitization, campaign and advocacy, we realized that social media could be used for other purposes. One of the purposes that came to our mind was from the observation that there was little data about the incidences of cattle rustling in the country. Strategizing on how to do that led to the broadening of our goal, which became the use of technology to combat cattle rustling in the country.

 

Every technology solution is a proposition unless tested. In testing the use of digital technology to combat cattle rustling, we decided that an interactive and modular approach was important to allow for debugging, learning and adaptation.

 

Digital mapping of forests

 

Therefore, the first step for us was to digitally map the forests so that we could have a better understanding of the terrain. We held a data mapping party with Google Developers students from Bayero University and got a digital map of the Kamuku forest as a pilot, with the intention to follow up for the other forests.

 

This provided us with the material upon which the next stage was built. That is the electronic map using Ushashidi that was both online and interactive. We then deployed an app which allowed people to send information via USSD code. The idea of using USSD code is that at the time not many people had android phones.

 

With this, anyone having an ordinary cellphone could report incidences of cattle rustling to the platform. The information immediately gets to the database and is then made available to partner law enforcement officers and community leaders for escalation. The distribution of reports and incidences was shown on the dashboard. Because the data is geo-referenced, and users have access to the online map of the forests as well as the dashboard, they immediately know where a report was coming from and have an idea of the likely routes the rustlers could take and therefore plan and deploy action to apprehend them.

 

Community involvement

 

Critical at this stage is the partnership of both law enforcement agencies and the communities. The law enforcement agencies could provide support to confront the rustlers. On the other hand, the community leaders were to help in mobilising members of their communities who are needed in fighting things like this.

 

To raise awareness and create a situation of buy-in, we conducted a series of training for community leaders, youth activists and herders in Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi states, taking the participants through on how to use the system and seeking for their input to improve it. Their awareness of the system and how to use it is critical. During the training, we came upon the next iterative issue to work on to make the system work. This was that most herders are not literate and therefore cannot write the short messages to tell that their cattle had been rustled.

 

To address this problem, we debated and came to the conclusion that we could develop a symbol system of communication so that rather than type text, people could select from a library of symbols. The other option was to use voice. Voice was convenient from the perspective of the user (the reporter) but was problematic for us at the backend for two reasons. The first was linguistic variety among users and then there was the problem of quality of voice signal, whose fidelity was critical in decoding the message. In the end, we never got to resolve this issue.

 

The last stage was to have SIM cards inserted in the cattle. Once the cattle have SIM implant, they can easily be tracked as they are being moved around by the rustlers. The challenge we faced with this was that we need a service provider to buy in and support experimentation and also get the regulator, the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) to approve for us to carry out the experiment under the proof of concept.

 

Yunusa Zakari Yaú is the Executive Director of the Centre for Infomation Technology and Development (CITAD)

A don, Dr. Sanah Mu’az, of the Software Engineering Department at Bayero University, Kano, has urged young girls to explore careers in Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Mu’az made the appeal at the 3rd Bauchi Feminist School (BAFIS) workshop for 30 young girls organized by the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Monday in Bauchi.

She said that there was a need to encourage girls to develop their potential by tapping into the opportunities in ICT.

“I don’t want the young girls to stay at the back door, they should go forth and explore their potential in the world of information and communication technology.

“Science and technology sector is not meant for men alone. Women should endeavor to be active in the sector too, “she said.

She added that there were many benefits in ICT, which will focus on empowerment of citizens on good governance, sustainable and balanced development.

“The ICT training is an opportunity for girls and young women to see and experience technology in new light,” she said.

She said that the ICT sector is a growing sector for employment in both developed and developing countries.

“There are highly qualified women in technical fields around the world that have significant opportunities available to them,” Mu’az said.

Also speaking, Malam Kamuludeen Umar from the center said that the aim of the workshop was to create an environment that would empower and encourage girls and young women into embracing ICT.

He said that the workshop would also consider careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

He said the BAFIS is an avenue formed by CITAD to build the capacity of 30 young girls on ICTs in Bauchi.

Umar advised the girls not to relent in their efforts to understand and utilize ICTs in their businesses and other purposes for self-reliance.

Responding, Mrs Khadija Hammani, one of the participants decried the shortfall of women in technology. She added that with capacity building, more women would be encouraged to take up careers ICTs.

“Many girls never even consider a career in ICTs. At the same time, many companies are planning to increase the number of women in the sector”.

She pledged to utilize the knowledge acquired during the ICT capacity building to coordinate and safeguard her business.(NAN)

 

The Executive Director of the Centre for Information Technology and Development CITAD, Mallam Yunusa Z Ya’u has said that the fight against insecurity in Nigeria would not succeed with fighting corruption holistically among various agencies of government

 

Mallam Ya’u stated this during two book presentations authored by the center titled “The Compromised State: How Corruption Sustains Insecurity in Nigeria” and Context and Content in Hate Speech Discourse in Nigeria”.

He said hate speech and corruption has immensely fuelled the security challenges facing the country presently and that only addressing them will bring peace and security to the nation.

He said as a result of corruption in the security sector, many heads of security agencies want to remain in power for the conflicts to continue.

The Director further recommended that the fight against corruption should not remain within the federal government agencies alone, and that the state government should also be part of the machinery to fight corruption.

While urging leaders, government officials and other relevant stakeholders to read and act on the recommendations made by the books, he also charged them to mobilize the fight against corruption among the citizens.

 

“Government should strive to fight against corruption among the citizens, not just talking about huge amounts of money all the time. They should change the language they are using when it comes to corruption. There is corruption in the family, among friends and other places.”

He advocates that Civil Society Organizations and the media should also begin to pay attention to local contents so that corruption can be addressed at inception level.

 

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has advice that the federal government should deploy technology and intelligence to track down bandits and insurgents disturbing the country.

The Center said it see no reason why that bandits and insurgents will use intelligence and technology to attack people and kidnap innocent citizens while the country’s security sector cannot use the same way and track them.

Speaking through its Executive Director, Y.Z Ya’u, during a Press Conference in Kano on Wednesday, the center said in today’s world the use of technology and intelligence is necessary by army and intelligence agencies not just bow and arrow approach.

It added that “embracing digital technology is about equipping and reequipping our army and intelligence agencies who have been underequipped now for quite some times.”

CITAD further recommended that drones should be use to locate and eliminate insurgents and bandits, monitoring their movements and activities, and tracking supplies and logistics, in addition to tracking money movement to see how they are funded.

It however urged that government should develop use of technology for counter insurgency plan and strategy, and also develop a full characterization of insurgents use of social media and track down their conversations.

 

Daraktan Cibiyar Bunƙasa Fasahar Sadarwa da Cigaban Al’umma CITAD, Injinya Yunusa Ya’u ya bayyana cewa cin hanci da rashawa da kuma kalaman ɓatanci ne ƙara rura wutar rikici a Najeriya.

Injiniya Yunusa Ya’u ya bayyana hakan ne a yau Alhamis a lokacin da ya ke gabatar da wasu littafai da cibiyar ta wallafa. Littattafan da su ka haɗa da The Compromised State: How Corruption Sustains Insecurity in Nigeria” da kuma Context and Content in Hate Speech Discourse in Nigeria”

Littafi na farko ya mayar da hankali ne akan yadda cin hanci da rashawa ke ƙara rura wutar rikicin da ke faruwa a Najeriya, sai kuma na biyun wanda ya mayar da hakali akan illar da kalaman batanci kan haifar a cikin al’umma tare da kawo rashin zaman lafiya.

Daraktan ya ce kalaman ɓatanci da cin hanci da rashawa su ne ke ƙara rura wutar rikici a Najeriya, kuma abu ne mai wahala a samu nasara akan yaƙin da ake da ayyukan ta’addanci muddin ba a yaki wadannan abubuwa ba to abu ne mai wahala a samu zaman lafiya da cigaba.

Injinya Yunusa Ya’u ya ce a dalilin cin hanci da rashawa da ya mamaye ɓangaren tsaron kasar nan ya sanya masu riƙe da shugabancin ɓangaren ke fatan ganin an cigaba da samun rashin kwanciyar hankali domin kawai su dawwama akan mulkin gurin.

Hakazalika, daraktan ya ƙara da cewa bai kamata al’amarin yaƙi da cin hanci da rashawa ya zama aikin gwamnatin tarayya kaɗai ba, ya dace jihohi su kasance suna taka rawa wajen yaƙi da wannan mummunar ɗabi’ar.

A ƙarshe Injiniya Yunusa Ya’u ya yi kira ga kafafen yaɗa labarai da kungiyoyin sa kai da su mayar da hankali waje fito da abubuwan da za su wayar da kan jama’a akan irin haɗarin da tattare da cin da rashawa tun daga tushe tare da buƙatar gwamnati da ta yi amfani da abin da aka rubuta a cikin littattafan.

Babban daraktan Cibiyar Bunƙasa Fasahar Sadarwa da Cigaban Al’umma CITAD, Mallam Yunusa Ya’u ya bayyana cewa yaƙi da matsalar tsaro da gwamnatin tarayyar Najeriya ta ke yi ba zai taɓa yin nasara ba muddin akwai cin hanci da rashawa a tsakanin ma’aikatu da jami’an gwamanati.

Malam Yunusa Ya’u ya bayyana hakan ne a yau Alhamis a lokacin da ya ke gabatar da wasu littafai da cibiyar ta wallafa. Littattafan da su ka haɗa da The Compromised State: How Corruption Sustains Insecurity in Nigeria” da kuma Context and Content in Hate Speech Discourse in Nigeria”.

Littattafan da aka rubuta su cikin harshen Ingilishi, inda littafi na farko ya mayar da hankali ne akan yadda cin hanci da rashawa ke ƙara rura wutar rikicin da ke faruwa a Najeriya, sai kuma dayan wanda ya mayar da hakali akan illar da kalaman batanci kan haifar a cikin al’umma tare da kawo tashin – tashina.

Babban daraktan ya ce kalaman ɓatanci da cin hanci da rashawa su na ƙara rura wutar rikici a Najeriya, kuma abu ne mai wahala a samu nasara akan yaƙin da ake da ayyukan ta’addanci muddin ba a yaki wadannan abubuwa ba to abu ne mai wahala a samu zaman lafiya da cigaba.

Malam Yunusa Ya’u ya ce a sakamakon cin hanci da rashawa a ɓangaren tsaron kasar nan ya sanya masu riƙe da ɓangaren ke burin ganin an cigaba da samun rashin kwanciyar hankali domin kawai su dawwama akan shugabancin.

Hakazalika, babban daraktan ya ce al’amarin yaƙi da cin hanci da rashawa bai kamata ya zama aikin gwamnatin tarayya kaɗai ba, ya kamata jihohi su kasance suna taka rawa wajen yaƙi da wannan mummunar ɗabi’ar.

Haka kuma ya buƙaci masu riƙe da mukaman gwamnati da kuma jagororin al’umma da su yi ƙoƙari su karanta wadannan littattafai domin hakan zai sanya musu karsashin yaki da cin hanci da rashawa.

A ƙarshe ya yi kira ga kafafen yaɗa labarai da kungiyoyin sa kai da su himmatu wajen zakulo abubuwan da za su wayar da kan al’umma akan haɗarin da tattare da cin da rashawa tun daga tushe.

By Ismail Auwal

Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has called on Federal Government to embrace the use of digital technology in the fight against violence.

The Director of the center, Mallam Yunusa Zakari Yau, in a statement, said that Insecurity has today become too generalized in Nigeria that nowhere is safe in the country.

“Kidnapping, banditry, secessionist violence has all become common place that peace is the only illusive constant.”
He said that, “in the past our fear was of armed robbers. Now armed robbery appears to be the lesser evils. The business of kidnapping people has become an easy way to make money for all classes of criminals, insurgents and they with a cause that support violence.”

The center argued that the government and its security and law enforcement agencies have not shown the leadership that will inspire the citizens that indeed, they can beat this and restore peace in the country. Instead, they seem to be in a debate among themselves as to who can offer the most ridiculous explanation of their failure.

“One thing that is obvious is the increasing use of digital technology by the different assortments of merchants of violence in the country. They wage a campaign of terror and violence using intelligence, this means that government’s’ counter insurgency must also turn to be based on intelligence.”
Making effective use of intelligence requiring an elaborate capacity to deploy and use digital technology. sadly, we have not seen this in the way that army and other agencies are prosecuting the campaign against insurgents.

Embracing digital technology is about equipping and reequipping our army and intelligence agencies who have been underequipped now for quite some times. Part of the reason is the systematic corruptions that is embedded in the different national institutions of governance and security in the country,” he said.

According to the center, a foundation step is needed to dismantle the war-economy around the counter-insurgency efforts. The war-economy has been articulated by people and organizations that benefit from the situation to continue to allow the violence to continue with no interest in winning the battel.

“All these involved in feeding fat on the misery of the citizens should be brought to book. Once that is done, a lot of resources would be recovered to fund the reequipping of the army and security agencies to strategically counter the insurgents and bandits.”

Part of that reequipped is to deploy digital technology for intelligence gathering, processing and transfer to enable the effort be driven by intelligence and be well ahead of the insurgents.

Uses of technology

1. Drones to locate and eliminate insurgents and bandits
2. Monitoring the movement and activities of bandits and insurgents
3. Tracking money movement to see establish how they are funded and how they use money to support their activities
4. Locating and monitoring of the sites, camps and concentrations of insurgents and bandits
5. Tracking supplies and logistics
6. What government should do:
7. Develop, through consultation its Use of Technology for Counter Insurgency Plan and Strategy
8. dentity and address connectivity blind spots in the country, especially within environments where bandits and insurgents are operating
9. Empower citizens to use and access to technology so as to the best use of it
10. Develop a full characterisation of insurgents use of social media and track down their conversations using the identified markers
11. Develop, using internationally accepted standards, protocols for monitoring suspected insurgents
12. In doing these, government should not:
13. Indiscriminately monitor citizens to trample and desecrate their right to digital privacy
14.It must never mount a mass surveillance of is citizens because it is not only counterproductive and wasteful but also a derogation of the right of citizens to privacy
15. It must avoid the temptation to turn power of technology into weapon for political witch-hunt.
16. It must also have clear data protection policy. Right now there is too much a digital citizens’ personal data in the hands of so many agencies of government without clear rules of data collection, data storage, management and use as well as sharing. We do not know which third parties have access to this data, how it is use and for what purpose. The global standard is that data subject must know who use, for what use such data is put to.

 

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING ON THE NEED FOR POLICY DIRECTIONS ON COMMUNITY NETWORKS ADDRESSED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CITAD, Y. Z. YA’U ON TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 IN KANO

 

Introduction The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) is a statutory body established to address gaps in internet accessibility in the country by focusing on supporting initiatives that will drive internet connectivity to underserved and unserved areas in the country. Underserved and unserved areas exist largely because telecommunication market runs to where there is prospects for higher traffic and hence higher profit which poor communities or remote areas are unable to provide.

The logic of the interventions of the USPF which is based on global best practices is that since affordability is relative it is important for government to subsidise the poor to improve both their accessibility and affordability so that they are not left behind and constitute a drag to the use of digital technology to achieve national gaols such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

In its report of 2019, the USIP identified 114 connectivity gaps in the country as either underserved and unserved.

It defines underserved area “as an area where less than 50% of the households or individual users have access to a minimum of 1.5 Mbit/s” while it defines unserved communities as “area where less than 10% of households and individual users have either no access to internet or have the most basic access such as EDGE” But affordability is not limited and constrained by lack of accessibility only. When poor people cannot afford the cost of connectivity or data, connectivity becomes useless as it would not be utilized.

Poverty is a key a factor that makes it impossible for many people to use the internet. Many Nigerians are not able to afford regular use of data. Aside from inability to afford, there is also the fact that lack of satisfaction makes people to stop using the services. In Nigeria, with an apparent monopoly by the four mobile technology service providers, quality of service is not their priority.

 

They treat customers with no respect or regard because they are not penalized for quality of service falling below acceptable global benchmarks. Monopoly also controls the way people integrate with technology such that people are not able to learn, modify and remodify technology to suit their purpose.

 

There are therefore many reasons why the USPF model needs to be complimented. Moreover, the USPF model is geared towards supporting the market rather than communities and subsidy regimes often end up being more beneficial to the market players than to communities whose affordability it is supposed to raise.

 

The Concept of Community Network Increasing, both state and not state actors are realising that bridging the digital divide is not possible by treating communities as passive recipients of support or as market to be developed. Rather, the most effective strategy is to engage the communities to identify how they can, with support of from stakeholders, address their peculiar connectivity needs. This community-driven strategy is the catalysing of the flourishing of community networks. Community networks are providing platforms or channels for people to communicate. This communication could be between individuals, within the community or outside it.

The Internet Society defines community networks as “telecommunications infrastructure deployed and operated by a local group to meet their own communication needs”. This communication needs can be voice, data, etc and can be point of convergence for communities to come together to address their common community problems.

 

Community networks take different forms, with some extending access using commercial networks, others building their own source of connection, etc.

 

But because they usually connect the unconnected, they are considered as extending connectivity to the last file. However, because they are bottom up initiatives, rather than top-down, they are more appropriately described as providing connectivity to the first mile. Community network have become major tools for digital inclusion across the world today.

 

This is because they offer the following advantages: · Benefiting end-users and the community networks themselves with cost-oriented approaches; · Providing service that is tailored to the unique needs of the community; · Empowering local people, and thereby encouraging involvement in other grassroots efforts, community affairs, and political processes; · Encouraging digital literacy; · Providing a “stepping stone” for people to become part of the global economy; · Creating new working opportunities; and · Promoting the virtuous cycle by improving both access to and creation of local content and services. In addition, as community networks provide means to connect the connected, they are tools for promoting digital inclusion.

 

Because they are community planned, implemented and managed, they allow for greater control and autonomy over telecommunication infrastructure. As they involve people at grassroots, they allow for experimentation and for people to innovate and demonstrate their creativity. They make people to learn more about technology and to see technology more as a social tool for problem solving than just mere ante fact.

 

They bring many more digital solutions such as eHealth, eLearning, ecommerce, etc to communities that are excluded. Finally, they are more affordable.

 

Many people and organizations believe that owning the network provides self-determination over the prices and the services offered, and it keeps profits local instead of extracting them to external and even global players.

 

In many countries such India, Mexico, Brazil, etc, community networks have sprung up, providing connectivity in complementarity with market players, allowing individuals and communities to domesticate technology and be experimental and innovative on how they deploy and use it.

 

These are impacting positively in addressing the digital divides in those countries.

 

Here in Africa, countries like Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, DRC, to mansion just a few, have developed policies that have supported the flouring of community networks in the countries, thus helping governments in those countries to move faster to achieve university connectivity and the digital inclusion of all of their citizens. The Situation in Nigeria There are very few community network operating in the country.

 

The two that have most extensive experience are the one in Kafanchan established in 2006 by Fantsuam Foundation, a civil society organization there and one in Ibadan, Ibadan WUG. In addition, the Nigerian Chapter of the Internet Society in partnership with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is establishing another in Zaria. There is also commercially driven community network coming on board, the best know is Fiam WiFi in rural areas of Lagos State.

 

The reason why community networks are slow to pick up in Nigeria is because we do not have policies to guide them nor does government provides support to encourage such initiatives. The regulatory framework at the moment does not provide for community networks as distinct providers of connectivity in the country. Indeed, neither the NCC Act nor the USPF Act have made mention of community networks, consequently there is a lacuna as to how community networks are to be treated.

 

For the moment, the few community networks are providing connectivity to underserve and unserved community by acting as point of farther distribution of connectivity provided by the main commercial players. For example, Fanstuam Foundation used to redistribute connectivity obtained from Airtel to its community.

 

Fiam WIFI is a licensed value addition firm that provides community networks by creating FIFI hotspots[1].

 

About four years ago, CITAD and Fanstuam Foundation approached the NCC with a request to be allowed to pilot the use of TV white space for community networks.

 

Eventually, the reply after several weeks was that the NCC had commissioned a firm to investigate and develop a framework for the use of TVWS to provide internet access in the country, hence it cannot grant the request.

 

Eventfully, a draft framework was developed in 2019 and subjected to a limited stakeholder consultation.

 

Although during the stakeholders consultation, in response to a direct question, the NCC assured that “the TVWS spectrum is intended to be free to use without licence on a first-come-first-served basis, but anyone running communication services must have an operating licence from the NCC (just to help them keep track of who is doing what where)”[2].

 

For now, therefore, community network activists are not sure how to leverage the TVWS to provide community connectivity. Additionally, TVSW in Nigeria comes under two different regulatory regimes. National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is in charge of assigning frequencies to broadcasters for their operations, meaning that anyone who wants to deploy TVWS would have to first approach NBC to assign a frequency to it.

 

On the other hand, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is in charge of licensing and regulating communication services and anyone who obtains a frequency from NBC has to obtain operating license from the NCC.

 

The old National Broadband Plan (2013-2018) notes that “Civil society organisations fill important gaps in society, and support the efforts of government and private sector towards meeting agreed objectives” [3]community networks did not feature in the plan. There is no indication that these roles of civil society would be greatly facilitated by policy context that recognises community networks. Similarly, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) has nothing to say about community networks. It recognises policy as one of the key pillars of the Strategy and listed 15[4] different relevant policies but none of it has anything to say about community networks.

 

The new National Broadband Plan (2013-2018), like the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, enumerated 14 different polices[5] that are needed to drive the Plan but no mention of policy on community networks.

 

Even the role of that was assigned to civil society organizations in the Old the National Broadband Plan seems to be obliterated in the new Plan.

 

Key documents of the USPF, the body set up to promote digital inclusion also do not speak about community networks. Instead, USPF uses the term Community Resource centres which it promises to establish in “partnership with local entrepreneurs and community-based organizations” the aim of which “is to extend voice, internet and ICT training and other e-services to unserved communities on shared basis and bridge the digital divide in the communities”[6] The cyberspace in Nigeria is characterized by different dimensions of the digital divide.

 

It manifests in gender forms, in differential in access and use between makes and female, it manifests as in age between younger generation who are ICT-savvy and older generations who are unable to adapt to digital work around, between better accessibility in urban areas and poor access in rural areas, etc. certain groups such as people living with disabilities, women in general. Older people and poor people in both urban and rural communities are digitally marginalized due to poor access and poverty that limits their ability to afford ICTs.

 

In addition, there are several areas/communities that are classify as either under-serve or unserved communities. Although the telecommunication sector in Nigeria is considered as one of fastest growing, there are still many people who are left behind. Statistics show that as at “September 2020, Nigeria has 205,252,058 active telephone lines, 107% teledensity, 151,512,122 active internet subscription, and 86,714,978 broadband subscription representing 45.43% of the population”[7]. Rapid penetration according to the research by NCC is inhibited by among other factors poor power supply that affects both telecommunication companies and users, Destruction and Vandalism of Equipment, Over-Taxation, Import Obligations and Long Authorization Processes, Inadequate Roads and Social Facilities, Transmission Infrastructure Challenges. etc[8]

 

Recommendations

 

1. The NCC should come up with an appropriate policy that will encourage the flourishing of community networks in the country as a means to hasten digital inclusion in Nigeria

 

2. The USPF should support community networks initiatives across the country as part of its intervention to promote faster inclusion progress

 

3. Community network should be given license-free spectrum to use 4. Proof of concept permit in connection with community networks should be license free

 

5. Institutions of higher learning such as universities should embrace and deploy community networks to both meet their community needs and to serve as experimental sites for learning and domestication technology

 

6. Both the NCC and USPF should establish a unit with the responsibility of coordinating their affairs with respect to community networks

 

7. Doing away with some component of spectrum fees in exchange for commitment to rollout in specific unserved/underserved areas as provided in the Strategic Plan of the USPF Conclusion Community networks are tested across the global are seen as major tool to promote digital inclusion. Both the ITU and the Interne Society have invested in experimentation and development of policy framework to support countries to integrate community networks as a tier in the telecommunication sector that would provide community-control, community-managed networks that are more affordable.

 

[1] https://www.fiam.ng/

 

[2] https://medium.com/@dewoleajao/an-update-on-nigerias-broadband-via-tv-white-spaces-story-7941f1c2cc4d

 

[3] The Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013 – 2018, page 76

 

[4] The National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), page 22-23

 

[5] The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), page 49-52

 

[6] Universal Service Provision Fund Strategic Management Plan 2018 – 2022, page 34

 

[7] Challenges of Technology Penetration in an Infrastructure Deficit Economy (Nigeria Perspective), 2021, page 4

 

[8] Challenges of Technology Penetration in an Infrastructure Deficit Economy (Nigeria Perspective), 2021, page 47-49

Held on the 28th of November, 2020 Virtually

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support of MacArthur Foundation had on the 28^th of November, 2020 as part of its Anti-Corruption and Accountability Project in Nigeria organized a one day virtual workshop to online Journalists on Writing for Accountability and Anti-Corruption Issues in Nigeria. The essence of organizing the workshop was to deepen the understanding of the journalists on accountability and anti-corruption issues and shift their attention to writing on the subject matter. The workshop also aimed to enhance the Understanding of the Dimensions of Accountability and Corruption, Sensitize the Journalists to Pay Attention to Issues of Accountability and Anticorruption in their Contents and Enlist Online Journalists to improve their Contribution in Exposing Corruption and Impunity through their Platforms.

Media being one of the pillars of democracy and institution that hold government accountable and report on issues that affect the lives of the ordinary citizens, CITAD found them to be partners in fighting corruption in the country. However, as the world of journalism is shifting to an online one globally and many of the traditional media are losing their readers and listeners, so the attention of organizations, governments and individuals most especially in the developing nations is shifting towards online journalists. This bring the need for organizations to focus on training and sensitizing these journalists on pressing issues that are crippling the economy and development of developing countries i.e. corruption.

At the workshop, experts in the area of Anti-Corruption and Accountability, Public Procurements and Human Rights enlightened the participants about the importance of writing on anti-corruption and accountability issues in their platforms. Dr. Jide Ojo, a Writer, Journalist and Development Consultant discussed on Corruption: Theoretical and Definitional Discuss. Dr. Ojo took the participants through the Definitions, Concept and Impact of Corruption on Good Governance. The second speaker, Dr. Aminu Hayatu, a Lecturer with Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) discussed on Understanding the Many Dimension of Accountability. In his discussion, Dr. Hayatu emphasized on how to hold government officials accountable, Issue of Ethics and Legality for Journalists and how Journalists will avoid Writing Fake News. While Dr. Chris Kwaja from Modibbo Adama University of Science and Technology, Yola discussed on Human Rights Abuses as Corruption. Dr. Kwaja focused on the Relationship between Human Rights Abuses and Corruption, he explained to the participants how journalists are everyday being abused in the course of their duty by security agents and how those abuses are being categorized as corruption because in many occasions it led to suppressing of truth and denied the journalists the right to report things as they are. And finally, Dr. Aminu Aliyu of the Economics Department, BUK dwelled on how journalists will know if there is Corruption in a Project. In his presentation, Dr. Aliyu mentioned some elements that can help to understand whether there is corruption in a project like the Size of the Project, Uniqueness and Complexity of the Project, Public Sector Projects, Project with Several Sub-Contractors, Culture of Secrecy, lack of Transparency and due Diligence and High Cost of Integrity.

On his remarks at the workshop, the Executive Director of the Centre for Information Technology and Development, Engineer Y.Z Ya’u who was represented by the Programmes Coordinator, Ibrahim Nuhu stated that CITAD has for long being working with journalists to ensure transparency and accountability in the public sector and this particular workshop is unique looking at the nature of the participants who are mostly young people with passion to make change in the society. He urged the online journalists to use their platforms for promoting good governance in the country and not allowed themselves to be used by the politicians to suppress truth.

 

5^th of June 2020

Coalition of Civil Societies launched a campaign to push for systemic change on Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria. In response to the protest, Actionaid Nigeria and CITAD mobilized 20 women in the communities to join the protest.

The Protest was held at the force headquarters in the nation’s capital to challenge the legislators on what was being done to protect women and girls and to end rape and other violence against women. The demonstrators comprise of mainly women and numbering more than 200. A petition was submitted to the Inspector General of Police.

The aim of the peaceful protest is to demand for domestication of Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and Childs Rights Act in all states of the federation

Establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARC) should be implemented in every States.

Criminalization and prompt state led prosecution of GBV cases within, regardless of requests or interference by the victims’ family

The demonstration held many banners and demanded that those responsible for the attack and murder of SGBV victims should be prosecuted and brought to justice.

At the end of the protest, Actionaid and CITAD team sensitized the community women on the rise of SGBV and the preventive measures to put in place in case of any eventualities.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, on Sunday advised Kano state government to introduce stricter measures, to ensure compliance with the restriction order, to curtail the spread of coronavirus, #COVID19 in the state.

The advise is coming, especially following one confirmed case of the virus, announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Saturday.

A statement by Ali Sabo, Campaigns and Communications Officer of the Centre, issued on Sunday recalled that in spite of the state government’s closure of its borders with other states, denied people entry and exit in and out of the state and asked its workers to stay at home for fourteen days, on March 23rd, the order had not been followed.

CITAD further recalled that in spite of the state government’s order that all social gathering, including cinemas, viewing centers, and joints in the state be suspended until further notice, the same order was flawed.

According to it, a report from its assessment of compliance showed that all orders were flawed by citizens, in connivance with security operatives.

“Therefore, the Centre called on the concerned authorities to take tougher majors in containing the spread of the virus in the state, looking at how quickly the virus was spreading in the country.

“CITAD highlighted how travelers with the connivance of the security agencies are defying the directives given by the state government to stop all inter states movements at those borders which made the state to be at risk of importing the virus by those coming from other states.

“To prove that cross border movements is still ongoing in the state, on Saturday the 11th of April, 2020 the state recorded it first covid-19 case.

“The patient is confirmed to be a retired technocrat who returned to the state from Lagos.

“It is on this note that we are calling on the Kano state government to as a matter of urgency and of public safety to:

Direct the closure of all markets in the state as they are places where social distancing cannot apply and traders pay no hid o safety and preventive measures.

All religious gatherings including Friday prayers and church services to be suspended with immediate effect.

Re-enforce border closure and ensure total compliance.

The State Anti-Corruption Agency to deploy its staff to the borders to prevent security personnel from sabotaging the efforts of government by collecting bribes and allowing motorists to enter the state.

There is need to investigate how the index case crossed the closed border into Kano and that all found to played a role in this should be punished accordingly,” the statement read.

The propriety or otherwise of exposing the identity of COVID-19 infected or potentially infected persons which has become a big controversy in Benue State three weeks ago in the case of Mrs Susan Okpeh has received a curt rejection in a similar case in Kano in Northwestern Nigeria. The case in Kano is the circulation of the name, picture and status of the first person to die of COVID-19 in the state on social media.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) which has been intervening at different levels in the management of the pandemic in Nigeria says that doing so is a threat to the fight against this deadly virus. Giving reason for saying so, CITAD said in a statement by Ali Sabo, its communication officer, that it could make people become skeptical to self-reporting themselves when they suspect they have been infected with virus for fear of being stigmatized and harassed.

CITAD said it observed that some people are using the name, picture and status of the first confirmed case of death from COVID-19 in Kano State on various social media platforms in a discriminatory and or negative way. This, it adds, is a clear breach of the ethics of the medical profession in relation to respect for confidentiality between medical personnel and the patient’s identify, no matter the nature of their illnesses, pointing out how the life of the patient and of his family are now being put at risk.

Arguing though that it is wrong for anyone who suspected contracting the virus or has a travel history to any place where there are confirmed cases of Covid-19 to be mingling with other people, CITAD, however, maintains that “it is also absolutely wrong for people to be victimizing and stigmatizing the victim which will set the fight against Covid-19 back in the country”. While urging people to continue to cooperate with authorities and adhere to prevention guidelines, it is also calling on the public to respect the privacy and rights of all individuals, regardless of their health status, saying that it is important for people to stop creating unnecessary panic in the society. It puts it to Governments to be more proactive in this fight and guarantee the privacy of every patient so as not to discourage people from self-reporting.

There is no knowing what impact the position of CITAD will have on the unresolved Benue State case where many people are grumbling about the exposure of the identity of Mrs Okpeh (whose status is still contested) but along individual heroism and a hint of ethno-cultural anger, without any NGO or a civil society organisation with national clout making a cogent argument. What CITAD has not said in its statement is whether confidentiality is sacred in spite of context, context being the argument of the Benue State governor, Dr Samuel Ortom for announcing that Mrs Okpeh, had become the index case three weeks ago. Mrs Okpeh is still protesting that. There seems to be no similar stories from around the country towards a comparative sense.

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I have just read a situation report on “how people in Kano are responding to government directives against COVID-19” released by the Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, Kano, April 7. Before I go into the report, let me confess that I am not familiar with the organisation. I am knowing about it for the first time. I am probably not alone because I do not think it is familiar to many of us outside Kano dtate. Still, its report should command public attention for the issue it raised about the containment policies on COVID-19.

From their report, my educated guess is that CITAD is a group of concerned Nigerians in Kano state who are alarmed by the wanton defiance of the restrictions imposed on intra- and inter- state movements by the state government as part of national efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the killer virus that is sending hundreds of people into their early graves daily in Europe and the United States. It is holding the world by the jugular. It has exposed the hollowness in the health delivery systems in the advanced countries, making us all sitting ducks for its ravages. A virus this dangerous could not be toyed with. But we are doing just that in this country. A million pities.

According to CITAD, despite the restrictions, nothing has changed in Kano state. Life goes on because the “people have ignored the social distancing directives.” And so, “market activities are still going on as usual without any obvious precautions in place; and ceremonial gatherings are currently going on as usual…”  Young people are out there playing football; tricycle operators still carry four passengers and offer their passengers no precautionary measures such as hand sanitizers. And to put a fine point to it, says the report, “across the state, wedding ceremonies are being held in defiance of the directive against large gatherings.”

I find the report disturbing. We all should. We are talking about the lives of fellow Nigerians, the increasing threat to them by the virus, the inexplicable defiant attitude of people towards measures put in place by federal and state governments to try and save all of us. This attitude amounts to a criminal sabotage of the regime of restrictions on human and vehicular movements within and between states. And it reflects our rather laid back attitude towards the one stubborn virus that refuses all global efforts to halt it in its tracks.

Nigeria records new cases almost every week; evidence, if anyone needed some, that the gradual but steady rise of the coronavirus should not lull this country and its leaders into a false sense that its capacity to reduce our national population is exaggerated. According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, there were 22 new cases this week bringing the total figure so far to 276. Six people have died from it. Compared to what the virus is doing to the Americans, the Italians, the Chinese and the Spanish, it would appear that our prayer warriors are doing a much better job of containing the virus than modern medical sciences in those advanced countries of the world. Don’t take my word for it.

It is easy to blame the stubborn Nigerians for their refusal to support health measures taken in their own interest. It seems to me, however, that the fault is not entirely theirs. The fault lies more with the federal and state governments. Neither of them has been particularly keen on policing the restriction orders imposed on the people. Nigerians being who they are, their capacity for exploiting loopholes is legendary. Within two days of the lockdown order coming into effect in Lagos and Ogun states, the federal government suddenly approved the opening of markets from 10 am to 2 pm. The Abuja Municipal Area Council ordered the opening of markets from 7.00 am to 1pm. That is a whole day.

These were essentially panic measures that has the profound effect of sabotaging the restriction policy intended to expose us less to the virus infection. I thought the federal government should have given itself at least one week to study the situation and, armed with a review, take some such measures as it deemed necessary to enforce the order and yet make it have the milk of human kindness.

Lagos state government is the most active in enforcing the restrictions; not because it is the worst affected in the country with 145 cases but more importantly because the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the most proactive political leader we have seen in our country in recent times. I am sure you saw the photograph of the gridlock at Lekki, the very highbrow city by the sea, sometime this week. The vehicles were going somewhere, of course. And sure, most of them belonged to men and women who have so much money that bothering to count it would make them sick. You would expect such people to support and co-operate with the restrictions because they have more to lose if the disease comes knocking at their doors. When those who ought to lead by example fail to do so because the weight of their pockets and their high social standing make them privileged men and women, they rub Agatu pepper in the eyes of the under-privileged.

Commercial Christians, sold on the lucrative nature of empty but alluring religiosity, continue to defy the restrictions. I understand that. It is the survival of the smart bible wielders. The lockdown or the restrictions deny them their weekly collections from the poor sold on the false hope that if their pastors are okay, they are okay and destined for heaven. This is a case of greed and irresponsibility rolled into one. It should make the pastors, including Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, ashamed of themselves. Dead people do not pay tithes. I thought that was elementary.

Since the imposition of the restrictions by federal and state governments, some state governors have obviously found themselves in the rather uncomfortable situation of being labelled anti-religion and, horror of horrors, risk being denied God’s favours and, of course, being barred at the gates of heaven. Those prospects are grim, to say the least. I am not surprised, therefore, that as of this writing two state governors have succumbed to the pressure to open up the places of worship. Katsina dtate government this week announced the immediate lifting of the ban on large gathering as it affects Muslim prayers in mosques on Fridays. Ondo state government has similarly lifted the ban on churches during the Easter period. The walls of social distancing are beginning to crumble. We can shake hands and hug again; coronavirus be damned.

I would be hard put not to defend the right of an authority to make a policy and, if it suits its purpose, review and even cancel it. But I would be hard put to believe that when the decision to restrict movements and limit the gatherings to a safe and manageable number, these governors did not take the sentiment of the religious communities into consideration. I am sure if they had done so and persuaded them to support the policy for the lives and the safety of their congregants, they would have been less fearful of the consequences of the policy should their names be taken before God.What is happening is that the policy makers are chipping away at the integrity of their own policies. Integrity matters to policies because without it, a policy is not policed and can only head for its eternal safe place on the shelf, there to gather dust. Our political leaders should worry about the fact that a systematic chipping away at the integrity of our public policies has been the bane of our national development. It is the reason we are given to the unimpressive development shuffle – one step forward, four steps backward.
Show quoted text.

A survey of the most strategic points of convergence in urban Kano has shown very minimal compliance with the ground rules against COVID-19. The survey by Kano based Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) shows that most strategic mosques, markets, streets and makeshift soccer pitches are in full swing. The borders are no less.

Mapping the spread as at March 30th, 2020 which is a long way off by now

Something for the attention of the NCDC which anchors the anti-COVID-19 mobilisation in Nigeria

The report in question is thus not just for Kano State Government but for all governments in Nigeria, the global health governance actors in Nigeria and the civil society. This is because it confirms the hidden, psychodynamic orientation among a large chunk of the populace that may steel some of them culturally against COVID-19 but could dangerously set the ground for mass deaths.

As part of its commitment to an informed citizenry as critical pillar in the fight against COVID 19, CITAD decided at this point to cross-check the level of compliance of Kano State citizens to the directives issued by the State Government following similar actions by the Federal and other state governments, especially after Nigeria recorded its first case of Corona Virus on February 27th, 2020 in Lagos State.

Kano State, it said, decided to close schools across the state from March 23^rd, 2020, asking all workers to stay at home for 14 days. It also closed its borders from mid night of Friday, March 27^th as well as issuing directives which strongly advised people to abide by social distancing and avoid congregational prayers, all social activities such as cinemas, clubs, joints and viewing centers were closed and ceremonial gatherings in the state were banned. The Federal and state governments in Nigeria have been criticised for, uncritically, embracing the lockdown approach, a criticism to which the Federal Government, at least, has responded with some attempt to review the lockdown practice.

But the big question has remained: to what extent are the Nigerian people observing the lockdown and some of the recommended practices such as social distancing, hand washing at regular intervals, use of sanitizers and so on? Even if the communities are too dense, some level of these practices can still be observed as the only way to avert what could be such a disaster.

In response to the challenge of informed citizenry, CITAD chose to undertake the assessment by visiting certain mosques, markets and streets within the metropolis.

CITAD used the following as its case study in this report signed by Ali Sabo, Communications Officer for it:

How much of a problem this still is remains to be systematically ascertained but it was the biggest part of the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria. Whom or where do the ordinary Nigerians, especially those in the slums or “the voices from below” call to say they think they might be confronting Coronavirus? A Bauchi State governor could easily do that just as an Atiku Abubakar’s son or a Buhari’s daughter or an Abba Kyari could also easily do and even get invaluable publicity therefrom.  After all, for most politicians, Oscar Wilde has the last words when he said that there is no bad publicity but not being talked about at all.

But how does it work with the other half – those for whom access to the telephone lines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) would not be taken for granted? The initial report on this was a stunning story of illiberalism or closing the gate against the poor and powerless members of the society on a scale that MUST be considered a national security threat if we get out of understanding security only in terms of the military and secret police.

It is not that NCDC left no numbers or platforms by which it could be reached. It is that every of them led the caller to nowhere. For instance, anyone calling the 12 figure toll free line 080097000010 that was most widely circulated as at March 22^nd and 23^rd, 2020 was wasting his, her or their time. It endlessly murmured few instructions that appeared programmed on purpose to a dead end. The other numbers were no exceptions even as most were ringing and they include: 08052817243; 08033565529; 08059758886; 08028971814; 08023169485. There was another one, (08099555577) which was said to permit text messages and yet another one for those outside Nigeria, (+234-7087110839). New set of numbers are now available, especially as from March 25^th, 2020: 07087110839 for Whatsapp; 08099555577 for SMS and 07036708970 for calls. Does anyone pick them when someone who is not a governor or minister dials?
No one can be allowed to dismiss this concern if the experience of the Kano based Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) is anything to go by. CITAD is privileged here because it deployed field operatives to assess the response mechanism of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). It tells an equally interesting but disappointing dimension based on what its 15 field operatives brought back on how the NCDC was managing information request from Nigerians on the pandemic or Nigerians wanting to give information to the centre on the pandemic, particularly using the Twitter handle and it’s phone lines for SMS and WhatsApp. “None of the three platforms were serving Nigerians since their concerns/questions are either completely not responded to or in rare cases responses are received hours or days after one sends request”, said CITAD. Of the multiple requests the monitors sent to NCDC, using the two platforms and contact telephone numbers, the NCDC only responded to one and it came after seven hours. All other over forty-five (45) requests/questions/concerns raised by CITAD’s monitors were either ignored or found unworthy of a response. CITAD, therefore, concluded that it appears NCDC used it’s Twitter handle “only for giving statistics but not serious and prompt engagement with Nigerians on the pandemic”. Turning to morality, CITAD declares that to be bad and a setback for the crusade against the COVID-19.

As @ March 30th, 2020 except that, like it is in politics, a day is too long for Covid-19, especially with the outside apprehensive yesterday abd then hopeful today about Nigeria

 

 

 

 

But CITAD was not done yet. It tells the story of how the Kano State Committee on Infectious Disease handled a report from Kano State Hisbah Board. According to it, some people brought the dead body of a traveler who died on his way back from Abuja. Hisbah refused to take the body and decided to contact the Committee before taking any action on the corpse. Hisbah had to bury the dead.

It would require a more organised study to determine whether the stories from other parts of Nigeria are confirmatory of the above story but, even then, two issues are already jutting out for critical attention.

The first one is the biopolitical. Nigeria strives for modernity. It is not there yet but that is the aspirational claim. At least, that is what the political leaders proclaim. Whether they mean it is a different argument. If you ask the late Prof Claude Ake, he would say these people are the very anti-thesis of profound modernization. That is the message of his essay, “How Politics Underdevelops Africa”.

Ake or no Ake, modernity is what is proclaimed on roof tops. But modernity is organised around a definitive framework for managing free citizens. At the centre of that framework is the body – the human body. Interestingly, there is nothing more than the human body when we talk about containing COVID-19. It is the body that is infected; that has to take the drugs; that resists COVID-19 through immunity and/or genetic make-up. It is the body that is stopped from moving through lock down. It is the body that resists lock down; that survives it all or that dies. This is why critical scholars conceptualise security as emancipation rather than what boots on ground or secret police do, important in a different way as that is.

NCDC might have its own problems of managing extra pressure on it, aggravated by the fact that there is no precedence to learn from in managing a pandemic of COVID-19’s magnitude in recent history. Still, there is something fundamentally wrong if its system doesn’t reckon that it is illiberalism not to have powerful contacts with the mass of human bodies at this point in time because, as CITAD noted in its April 1^st, 2020 statement thereto, NCDC must understand that population of Nigerians on social media platforms is significant and engaging with them will strengthen efforts at preventing the virus”. This point will be more crucial in the two weeks ahead as the ‘window phase’ closes and the reality of a possible confrontation with larger number of infected persons cannot be ruled out.

The second and even more powerful point is what can shield NCDC against charges of corruption should a systematic appraisal uncover deliberate illiberalism? The most current and most widely used definition of corruption covers illiberalism. Of course, such an appraisal would have to go beyond NCDC given the numerous references and innuendoes to corruption in the narratives of COVID-19 in Nigeria, starting with CITAD’s empirically incontestable datum. If it would not be NCDC alone, then there is a case for something like “Amplifying Popular Narratives of COVID-19 in Nigeria With Particular Reference to Corruption”. That would tie together the points of convergence and divergence in the conversation that has so far been limited to CITAD and the NCDC but which could soon become an all-involving but a belated conversation should, God forbid, the management of COVID go awry.