Telecoms services were on Wednesday disrupted in Borno, Bauchi, Yobe,
Gombe and Kano states following the bombing of telecoms base stations
by suspected terrorists.
Our correspondent gathered that base stations belonging to MTN,
Globacom, Airtel might have been affected in the multiple attacks that
jolted Borno, Bauchi, Yobe and Gombe states. Experts, who described
the attacks as detrimental to
telecoms growth in the country, said they were suggestive of wilful
damage by unscrupulous elements.
As a result, the quality of service in the affected states has taken
a downturn as interconnection of telecoms infrastructure has become
severely limited. The Chairman, Association of Licensed
Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, confirmed
the development to our correspondent in a telephone interview on
Wednesday.
Quoting security sources, Reuters, however, reported that similar
attacks also occurred in Kano and Maiduguri.Adebayo said, "We have
received reports about some telecoms sites being destroyed by some
agents in some parts of northern Nigeria. The details are not clear
yet, but we have been told that a number of operators' sites were
affected and they appear, from first view, as wilful damage to those
infrastructure.
"We were told that some sites were bombed and they belong to
different operators, which means that the act cut across many
networks."
Reuters further reported that one of its reporters saw 10 masts burnt
to the ground in Maiduguri on Wednesday morning and local residents
complained there was no mobile telephone reception. In Kano, men on
motorbikes reportedly destroyed MTN and Airtel mobile phone masts in
the early hours of Wednesday, a policeman told Reuters, asking not to
be named.
He said the Boko Haram sect was suspected to be behind the attack.
The Islamic sect had reportedly threatened recently to cause immense
damage to telecoms operators' facilities for allegedly providing
information that had helped securities agencies tracked its members.
Analysts said the Wednesday attacks might be connected to the threat
by the suspected terrorists.Reuters also reported that sources close
to the sect said Boko Haram members had in the past been concerned
that they might be traced through mobile phones.
The Corporate Services Executive, MTN, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, who
equally confirmed the attacks, said, "It is true because we received
reports today (Wednesday) that telecommunications towers of major
telecoms operators were being bombed. However, I cannot tell you, for
now, how many of our base stations or other telecoms infrastructures
were affected because information available to us is still scanty."
Goodluck, however, said that security agencies had commenced
investigation into the attacks and the extent of damage, adding that
the result would be made available for accurate reporting. Speaking in
the same vein, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, MTN,
Mrs. Funmilayo
Omogbenigun, who earlier confirmed the situation to
Reuters, said, "We confirm that like all the other major telcos, some
of MTN installations in northern Nigeria have been damaged by unknown
persons. All the relevant government security agencies have been
informed and we are receiving their full cooperation."
