The Federal government has approved a nationwide deployment of officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This is in readiness for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) March 1, 2025 protest against the telecommunications tariff hike.
The spokesperson for NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi disclosed this in a chat with newsmen on Sunday. He noted that the NSCDC commandant-general has directed state commanders to keep a constant watch over base stations and telecom towers in their areas.
The NLC had announced plans to shut down the operations of telecommunication companies across Nigeria if the tariff hike decided by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was not reversed by the end of February.
The congress also enjoined Nigerians to boycott the services of major telecom providers including MTN, Airtel, and Glo daily between 11am and 2pm starting from 13 February till the end of the month.
Afolabi revealed that available credible intelligence already established that the planned protest would be hijacked by hoodlums. Therefore, this measure is crucial in maintaining peace and ensuring the protection of government and corporate organizations’ investments from these miscreants.
Furthermore, the spokesperson pleaded with the NLC to shelve their planned protest and their move to shut down telecommunication facilities nationwide.
Afolabi noted that congress has the right to stage a peaceful protest under the law, however, experiences from previous protests necessitate the plea. He added that the corps has called for dialogue to resolve the dispute, with hopes that NLC would reconsider its stance.
Additionally, Afolabi reiterated NSCDC’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure. He further established the readiness of the corp to take decisive legal action against those who attempt to undermine the security of the country.
NLC ignores NSCDC’s warning, to proceed with the protest
The Chairperson of the Lagos State NLC, Funmi Sessi, has dismissed the warnings issued by the NSCDC, asserting that the corps does not have the authority to dictate their plans.
Also, she criticized how security forces were trying to intimidate workers against the protest. Sessi went on to emphasize that the Labour Congress would not back down due to the threats.
Criticism against the protest
Meanwhile, the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTCSSAN) expressed dissatisfaction with NLC for taking such steps without prior consultation with its union.
The PTCSSAN’s Secretary-General, Abdullahi Okonu in a chat with newsmen on Sunday, explained that the union already made its position clear. He argued that the increase is necessary to prevent a collapse of the industry.
In a letter addressed to NLC, PTECSSAN acknowledged the concerns over the impact of this tariff hike on Nigerians. However, the hike was unavoidable due to rising operational costs.
Similarly, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria also criticized the NLC over its plans to boycott telecom services and shut down its infrastructure.
ATCON president, Tony Emoekpere noted that the current economic policies affect all sectors, and expecting the telecom industry to run at a loss is unsustainable.
