Telcos Wax Worriedly as Terrorist Destroy Facilities in Yobe

Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has waxed worriedly over the recent destruction of telecom facilities in Yobe state, describing the attacks as as very unfortunate.

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents in five gun trucks had attacked Babangida and destroyed telecom masts in their move to infiltrate Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, on Sunday.

It was learned that the terrorists burst into the town from Sasawa Forest to overrun the local council headquarters before targeting Damaturu through Gashua road.

Babangida, which is 50 kilometres north of Damaturu, was attacked with the emir’s palace four times in October 2018.

Lt. Chinonso Oteh, acting assistant director, Army Public Relations for Sector 2, Operation Lafiya Dole, confirmed that attack and said that the terrorists’ plan was to attack Damaturu, but security operatives repelled them with the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) fighter jets.

“Actually, Babangida is the area where those bad boys always gather before they start infiltrating Damaturu. Everything is now under control. There is no cause for alarm, as they have been chased towards the Sasawa forest in the Babangida/Geidam axis.”

Oteh said details of casualty were yet to be available when he spoke to The Guardian.

Ibrahim Auta, a resident, said that the terrorists also burnt mobile phone masts.

“We saw the boys burning down the masts of MTN and Airtel in the town. That was why the residents could not communicate to security agencies in Damaturu and other family members in the nearby bushes.”

Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria has described the attacks as very unfortunate.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, said efforts must be made by the Federal Government and security agencies to protect life and property in the country.

Adebayo, who recalled that operators suffered the same experience some years back in some parts of the North East, lamented that “sadly this happened again.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to kindly provide special protection for critical telecommunications infrastructure across the country, especially in the North East.

“But as an industry, we will continue to work with the authorities to minimise the effect of this willful damage on the public.”

Also Tobechukwu Okigbo, chief corporate services officer, MTN Nigeria, said: “We are working with security agencies on the ground to ascertain the true situation of things, and determine how to respond

“Our primary focus at this time is the safety of our staff and securing the delivery of uninterrupted services to our customers.”