Upwards of 26 base stations belonging to various telecom companies operating in Nigeria’s north-east have been bombed by Boko Haram in an apparent shift of focus from attacking human targets to attacking telecom infrastructure.

A base station costs about N39.47 million, bringing the damage to about N1.03 billion.

The motive of Boko Haram in targeting the crippling of telecom infrastructure is unclear since the terrorist group also needs to use telecom services.

Worried by the trend of events, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has fixed an emergency meeting of its executives today to decide on how to appropriately respond to the threat posed by Boko Haram to their continued operations in the north-east, where the terrorist group is based.

A report this morning in Nigeria’s mass circulating newspaper, The Punch, hinted at the possible withdrawal of services from the North by Nigeria’s major providers of mobile telephony.

The report quoted Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, President of ALTON, as saying: “If it becomes impossible to continue to do business in the face of rising attacks on telecoms sites, operators will naturally suspend operations in the area.

“This is because beyond base stations, these elements may begin to target telecoms operators’ offices and data centres among other key infrastructure. That is why it is important that the situation is curtailed before it gets to that point.

“During military coups, dissidents attack newspaper and television houses as well as telecommunications centres and infrastructure to destabilise the government. This is not different from what we are experiencing now as people’s phones can’t be reached in the affected areas.”

Apart from the GSM operators, CDMA firms are also affected by the Boko Haram attacks.

Officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, Boko Haram was founded in 2009 by Mallam Muhammad Yusuf, who resigned his appointment as a commissioner in the Borno State cabinet to concentrate on growing the sect and latter died in the struggle. The sect is credited with having killed over 1,500 people in attacks targeted mainly at churches and government facilities.

*Photo courtesy Punch