The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has decried the alleged arbitrary closure of telecommunications infrastructure.

It said the closure was hampering service providers’ support to security services in the country.

The Chairman of ALTON, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

It said that operators were committed to supporting law enforcement agencies in their investigation on the rising cases of crimes, including kidnapping and armed robbery in the country.

The statement said that arbitrary and frequent closure of telecommunications service providers’ Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) would not allow them give the required necessary support to law enforcement agencies, especially the police.

“This poses a serious security risk to the citizens of the country whom the force is constitutionally mandated to protect.

“Our industry supports many other economic sectors of the economy. We are also in the first layer of critical infrastructure for socio-economic development and security.

“Unless we have first level of protection by government and the security agencies; it will be difficult to continue to provide uninterrupted services with the type of venerability of our members and their infrastructure.

“The Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 provides for the President to designate communications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure and provide such first layer of protection.

“Admittedly, the President has not so designated. It will be done in the fullness of time. However, in law, we say that equity regards as done that which ought to be done.”

The statement called on the Inspector General of Police to kindly direct his personnel to protect telecommunications infrastructure and not to be involved in tampering or preventing access to BTS sites.

It said that this would be in the spirit of the recognition of the value of telecommunications network elements and systems to the wellbeing of Nigeria.

“We are using this medium to pledge the support of the telecommunications industry to you and the entire police force.

“We pledge our loyalty and support for the government and people of Nigeria as an industry that is in the forefront of our national security and technological development.” (NAN)

•Photo shows ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo.