Nigerian telecommunications companies (Telcos) have categorically denied allegations of planning to frustrate the upcoming #EndBadGovernance protest, scheduled to take place from August 1-10, 2024.
Gatekeepers News reports that the companies emphasised their commitment to maintaining uninterrupted services, citing their social and economic contract to provide seamless connectivity at all times.
The denial comes in response to claims made by legal expert, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), who alleged that Telcos were attempting to disrupt the protest by restricting network services.
Adegboruwa noted a surge in complaints from citizens experiencing network difficulties as the protest draws near.
The statement read in part, “For the past few days, some telecom companies have been disconnecting their subscribers for flimsy and untenable reasons.
“Some allege lack of NIN registration or linking, while others didn’t give any reason at all.
“This action is coming on the heels of the proposed struggle of the people against hunger, poverty, suffering, and the suffocating economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
“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 protests.”
Reacting, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria (ALTON), Engr Gbenga Adebayo, denied the allegation, saying nothing could be funnier than such allegation.
He said, “This is the funniest allegation anybody can make. We are in a social and economic contract with the people to provide services which is critical to their lives, at all times.
“That contract will not allow us to do such a thing. Besides, what is the motive for which we can even assume such a heinous act? Both those for and against the protest are our subscribers, so if we try to frustrate it, whose interest will we be serving. We are apolitical by nature and will remain so.
“We have no business to interfere with the political beliefs of our subscribers. So, in all intent and purposes, we have no intention to interfere in whatever way with the protest.
“The deadline for SIM-NIN linkage for subscribers who have not done so, is this month end and networks have started barring such subscribers after sufficient and repeated warnings have been passed.
“It will be unfair to attribute such disruptions to telcos interfering with the protest“, he added.
