Vandalisation of telecom infrastruture

Market Intelligence:

Few days ago, one of the nation’s leading Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, raised an alarm over the vandalisation of its telecommunications equipment.


This much has been complained by other telcos in the recent past.


The operator said, this has been the bane behind its recent poor quality of services. According to the Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, the telco expressed concern over repeated vandalisation of its equipment and installations nationwide.


She noted that the impact this have on the quality of services to its subscribers have become disheartening.


“We have had to contend with what appears to be a steady onslaught of malicious damage to our fibre optic cables in some parts of the country,” she said, stressing, “it’s extremely alarming,” she said.


Mrs. Oyagbola explained that telecoms infrastructure have been installed across the country, at huge cost in terms of labour and capital, for the sole objective of providing a rich and improved bouquet of telecommunications services to the Nigerian people.


While assuring customers and other stakeholders that the telco is reinforcing its private security network across the country especially in the areas that house critical infrastructure, Mrs. Oyagbola appealed to Nigerians to keep vigilant over telecom and other infrastructure in their localities.


“Such infrastructure, including base stations, switches and transmission cables, are for the collective benefit of the country and should be seen as such,” she said.


Mrs. Oyagbola equally urged citizens to inform the security agencies promptly if they see any equipment being tampered with, just as she pledged that MTN would continue to strive to provide Nigeria with world-class telecommunications services.


“In circumstances where our installations are damaged, we will strive to ensure that services are restored in the shortest possible time,” she reassured.


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