In the wake of a looming nationwide protest against economic hardships, telecom operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile, have found themselves at the epicenter of subscribers’ fury.
Following their compliance with the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) directive to disconnect numbers not properly linked with the National Identity Number (NIN), these telcos are now facing widespread backlash and vandalism.
The situation escalated rapidly after the telcos disconnected thousands of subscribers who had failed to comply with the NIN-SIM linkage directive.
Angered by the sudden service disruptions, Nigerians stormed across the country, accusing the companies of deliberate sabotage intended to hinder the planned protest slated for August 1-10, 2024.
Legal Allegations and Public Outcry
The controversy intensified when prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, released a statement accusing the telcos of intentionally restricting services to sabotage the planned protests.
“From all indications, it would seem that the underlying target of the telecom companies is to limit the reach of their customers in order to restrict access and thus frustrate the protest,” Adegboruwa stated.
The accusation was swiftly dismissed by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria (ALTON).
Adebayo described the allegation as laughable, emphasizing the commitment of telecom operators to their social and economic contracts to provide essential services.
“Both those for and against the protest are our subscribers, so if we try to frustrate it, whose interest will we be serving?” he queried.
Destruction and Chaos
Despite the denial from ALTON, protests against the mass call barring continued unabated. Telecom facilities in various locations, including Lagos, Abuja, Warri, and Oshogbo, were vandalized by irate subscribers.
Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos as angry customers descended on the MTN service center on 23 Road, Festac Town, pulling down gates and barricades and causing extensive damage.
Protests in Festac and Oshogbo
In Oshogbo, Osun State, hundreds of subscribers took to the streets on Monday, marching to the offices of different telecom operators to protest the barring of their lines.
The protesters gathered at the MTN Nigeria head office in Dada Estate, chanting slogans and demanding immediate restoration of their services.
A protester in Oshogbo, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed frustration over the situation: “We are suffering in this country, and now they are cutting off our means of communication. How are we supposed to survive?”
Telcos’ Response and Regulatory Intervention
In response to the escalating crisis, the NCC ordered the immediate reactivation of barred lines. This directive was intended to quell the growing unrest and prevent further destruction of telecom infrastructure.
However, the damage had already been done, with several service centers reporting significant losses.
ALTON’s Chairman, Adebayo, reiterated the association’s stance, urging subscribers to remain calm and assuring them that efforts were being made to resolve the issues.
“We understand the frustration of our subscribers, but we must comply with regulatory directives. We are working closely with the NCC to address these concerns and ensure that services are restored promptly,” he said.
Broader Implications
The incident has highlighted the fragile relationship between telecom operators and their subscribers in Nigeria.
The mandatory NIN-SIM linkage, while aimed at enhancing security and reducing fraud, has inadvertently caused significant disruptions for many Nigerians who rely on their mobile phones for daily activities.
Moving Forward
As the nation braces for the planned protests, the telecom industry finds itself under intense scrutiny. The NCC and telcos must work together to ensure that regulatory compliance does not come at the expense of service delivery.
In the meantime, the reactivation of barred lines is expected to ease tensions, though the incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical role of communication services in modern society.
The coming days will reveal whether the measures taken by the NCC and the telecom operators will be sufficient to restore trust and stability.
For now, the priority remains addressing the immediate grievances of subscribers and preventing further escalation of the situation.
