The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria similarly pushed back against the NLC’s planned boycott of telecom services and shutdown of telecom infrastructure, arguing that such actions are misguided and could harm the industry.
The NSCDC spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, in a chat with journalists said the agency had deployed operatives to the base stations to prevent any illegal action by the protesters.
The NSCDC, tasked with protecting critical national infrastructure, including telecommunications, expressed concerns over the potential risks the NLC action could pose to national security and public safety.
The NLC announced its intention to shut down the operations of telecommunications companies across the country if the tariff hike announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission was not reversed by the end of February.
The union directed Nigerians to boycott the services of major telecom providers, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, daily between 11am and 2pm starting February 13 and continuing through the month.
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The NLC in a communiqué signed by its President, Joe Ajaero and General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, accused the telecom operators of breaching public trust by implementing the tariff hike before the conclusion of a 10-man review panel’s deliberations.
The union also faulted the government for failing to protect citizens from corporate exploitation.
The NLC argued that the tariff increase represented a betrayal of public trust, given the earlier agreement to establish a committee to review the proposed hike.
However, the NSCDC urged the NLC to reconsider its planned protest, warning that any disruption to telecom services could expose the country to criminal activities and compromise national security.
Afolabi made it clear that the agency will not allow any action that could jeopardise the security of the nation.
He revealed that state commandants had been directed to maintain round-the-clock surveillance at telecom facilities, with a nationwide deployment of officers, including undercover operatives, to ensure the protection of these assets.
Citing the importance of telecommunications to national security, the corps warned that any disruption could result in vandalism and other criminal activities.