Kaduna residents have lamented that the shutdown of networks in some parts of the state is a curse and not a blessing to the citizens as it has not reduced the Insecurity bedevilling the state.
It is past a month now that the Kaduna State government announced the Shutting down of networks in some parts of the State due to the continuous attack on residents by men of the underworld.
Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, said that despite the shut down of network services, banditry and Kidnapping has not been ameliorated in the State.
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According to him, 66 members of Baptist Church, Kakau in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna state were whisked away during Church service.
Feeling the pulse of some residents who lived in areas where the shutdown of the network was affected, they gave a pitiful narration on how they have been enduring since the government took the measure.
A resident of Sabo GRA in Chikun Local government Area of the state who identified himself as Apo Akpus, said you could only appreciate how bad the situation is when you come out in the night.
According to him, every night, behind Ostrich bakery along Sabo road, there is always a mammoth crowd of people trying to make calls or receive messages because the network goes on and off, unlike other places where there is no network.
He expressed worried that the place is gradually becoming a hangout where different people of different characters meet, and one cannot vow for the true identity of each other, which he sees as another security challenge.
“you see parents coming with their cars to make calls, and you see youths coming with bench and seat to sit, it has basically become a hangout because, obviously when you keep meeting a particular person over time, you have to end up becoming friends by virtue of lack of Network”.
When asked if the measure should continue, he said he is not in government and doesn’t know the information they are getting, but there are no benefits for shutting down the network as a citizen.
“My grandmother is going back tomorrow to the village; we know the suffering we underwent to get her to come over from the village because, before the shutdown of the network, we could talk freely. If I am to receive any call, I have to come out whether my business is in my house, or around my house. I have to come to the road to get network to receive calls and sometimes when you come out, you don’t receive the call.
“As I speak to you now on my street, there is no network completely, so there is no bearing here, no coping; it has come. Despite the shutdown, they are still Kidnapping people, and the recent one is in Baptist church, Kakau Daji where everybody that went to church that day was kidnapped”.
Similarly, a POS operator in Mahuta, Chikun Local government area, Abigail, lamented that the shutdown of the network has crashed many POS businesses in the area as many of the business owners have closed down.
Abigail, who was dozing off on her operating table when met by this reporter, explained that she came out to see if there would be a network so that she could do her business for the day.
She vehemently expressed that the network shutdown has not helped reduce insecurity, saying at least three people were kidnapped within her vicinity recently.
“Govt. should restore the network and look for other possible alternative means of tackling the insecurity because the kidnapers still communicate with relations of their victims.”
Speaking in the same vein, Mr Samuel Awoyale, the Director Sambis School, Ungwan Boro Chikun Local government area, said to him the shutdown of the network is more of a punishment than a blessing.
He explained that people who were kidnapped or attacked could not get through to anybody for assistance because of the shutdown of the network.
“The people are more held captive, and they can’t call for help because there is no network. So to me, govt needs to do something about it, they should look critically about it and go back to the root cause Of our problem, this one can’t solve it”.
There is a root cause, and they should identify it. They should go and mend it from the root cause; if You solve a problem halfway, you are only creating more problems. So to me, I will expect the govt to review the whole thing and possibly come up with a more helpful solution that will give even the citizenry peace of mind.”
“Network should be restored, there are other ways which the govt may go about finding a solution, and as soon as they get the real cause, the solution is not far fetched”, he said.
