Stakeholders in the telecom sector have called on government to mark them for special protection, following Boko Haram’s recent successful terrorist attacks in Northern Nigeria, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now report.
Besides the threat of the radical Islamic sect, the industry and its workers have been under attack by touts and street urchins in parts of the country.
At a recent meeting in Lagos, stakeholders said that the incessant threats and attacks were inimical to national development.
The ICT stakeholders who stated that the combined investment in the sector was now in excess of $25 Billion was in danger of evaporation if government would not take urgent steps to protect it from terror attacks.
Titi Omo-Ettu, president of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon), said the government has not shown enough will to protect investments in the sector.
Omo-Ettu, lamented that the threat posed by the Islamic group was real and believes it was time the Nigerian government declares telecom facilities as “critical national infrastructure”
He said the ICT could be the next big factor for Nigeria to solve its myriad of challenges.
Elsewhere, MTN Nigeria and Airtel, two of Nigeria’s leading mobile providers, have assured customers to remain unperturbed in the wake of Boko Haram’s issued new terror threats their facilities.
Wale Goodluck, corporate services executive with MTN Nigeria also noted that it relied on the assurances provided by the security agencies in the country.
“The security agencies are responsibly for the protection of infrastructure and persons,” said Goodluck.
Rajan Swaroop, CEO of Airtel Nigeria said the mobile provider is working with Nigerian security operatives to ensure services were not disrupted.
Deolu Ogunbanjo, president of the National Association of telecom Subscribers said the repeated threats by Boko Haram and other such gangs is enough for the government for urgently passage of law declaring telecom installation as critical national infrastructure.
