ALTON calls for action as telecom vandalism soars

By Chinenye Anuforo

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has called for immediate, coordinated action from all levels of government and the public, warning that continued sabotage could lead to a nationwide communications blackout.

This alarming trend comes at a time when ALTON members have committed significant investments in network optimisation and capacity upgrades, following decisive interventions by the Federal Government earlier this year to bolster industry sustainability. “Our industry has not seen this scale of investment in recent years. We are working round the clock to improve the quality of service nationwide, and we cannot afford these setbacks,” stated Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of ALTON.

Between May and July 2025, a wave of destructive incidents swept across cell sites in key states, including Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, among others. These acts of sabotage have not only disrupted network services but also caused widespread connectivity blackouts, severely impacting millions of subscribers.

The stolen and vandalised components are not mere materials; they are the foundation of Nigeria’s digital economy, security systems, and national communications grid. Critical items such as power cables, rectifiers, fibre optic cables, feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries, and solar systems are being plundered from active sites, fuelling a thriving black market. ALTON pointed out that stolen batteries are being resold for home and office inverters, solar panels are stripped for unsuspecting households, and diesel fuel is siphoned for illicit trade.

“We are alarmed at the frequency, intensity, and geographical spread of these incidents,” said the ALTON Chairman. States such as Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, FCT, Kaduna, Niger, Osun, and Kwara have borne the brunt of these attacks, experiencing prolonged downtimes, network congestion, and degraded service quality.

The public is reminded that telecommunications infrastructure is legally classified as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) under the National Security framework, a designation backed by Federal Government Gazette No. 133, Volume 108, dated March 17, 2021. Vandalism, sabotage, or illegal possession of these assets constitutes a serious criminal offence with severe repercussions. ALTON urged citizens to exercise vigilance and refrain from purchasing suspicious equipment, emphasising that complicity in such transactions makes one part of the crime.

Beyond deliberate vandalism, a recurring and equally damaging issue is the widespread damage to underground fibre optic cables during road construction and civil infrastructure projects along major highways and urban roads. These activities have also led to significant service outages and financial losses for operators.

In a desperate plea, ALTON has called upon the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to immediately deploy necessary resources to protect telecommunications infrastructure. The association warns that failure to act swiftly could lead to a “total breakdown of communications across the country.”

ALTON commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for its proactive stance in safeguarding national telecom infrastructure, particularly through the establishment of a dedicated reporting portal. This initiative allows citizens to report incidents of vandalism or suspicious activity via [email protected] or by dialling 622. “Such forward-thinking measures are vital to ensuring the resilience and security of our communications network,” ALTON acknowledged.

“This is a desperate and urgent hour. The industry cannot fight this battle alone,” ALTON declared in its statement. “We need coordinated national action by the security agencies, the government at all levels, regulators, the media, civil society, and the public. Our national security, economic stability, and digital future depend on it. The time to act is now.”