Telcos Trying To Restrict Internet Access, Frustrate Planned Protest — Adegboruwa
Ahead of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest in August, human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has asked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe telecommunication operators’ alleged disconnection of subscribers.
In a statement on Sunday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria warned that telcos should not attempt to sabotage the forthcoming protest against economic hardship in Nigeria by restricting internet access among displeased citizens.
“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 some didn’t give any reason at all,” Adegboruwa said.
“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.”
The senior lawyer said the contract between telecom companies and their subscribers remains sacrosanct and should not be tampered with arbitrarily.
“Sufficient information and opportunity should be given for subscribers to remedy any alleged breach or error.
“So many telephone users deploy their numbers for their businesses and other lawful engagements, not to talk to those who may have medical and health-related emergencies.
“The NCC is urged to look into this and come to the rescue of the subscribers.”
The senior lawyer had written security agencies, requesting protection for protesters under the umbrella of the Take It Back Movement come next month.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Last-Minute Efforts
President Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.
As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.
On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as All Progressives Congress (APC) governors surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.
