Mobile telephone network providers have complied with the Federal Government directive to shut down services in Zamfara State, literally sending millions of residents and others in neighbouring states back to the Stone Age.
The measure, the government reasons, is to frustrate bandits by shutting them out of the communication space. But the measure cannot be taken to the exclusive disadvantage of the criminal, as decent citizens, most of who depend on telephone services for daily survival, are also affected.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Zamfara State has 2,177,431 active subscribers from 2,337,893 connected lines, while Internet users are around 1.59 million.
By the government directive, these sets of subscribers will not have access to any form of telephony services for two week, in the first instance, thus making life archaic for them.
With MTN, Globacom, Airtel and 9Mobile shutting down of their 248 base transceiver stations that service Zamfara communities, some parts of Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna States will also be impacted greatly.
Indeed service signals from a cell tower can travel as far as 45 miles, depending on the technology of the cell phone network.
The Federal Government had on September 3, citing rising cases of insecurity in Zamfara and adjourning cities, ordered the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to direct all telecommunications providers operating in the region to shut down services in the State.
There are fears, however, that the move, coupled with the closure of weekly markets by the governor, may totally bring down the economy of Zamfara State, while trying to address its security challenge.