About 10 states in Nigeria, including Abuja, Anambra, Ondo, Benue, Edo and especially Kogi may have complete telecom blackout soon.
Implications:
Should this happen, all network connections, phone calls, banking services and every business that runs on telecommunication networks will fold.
Also, you will not be able to perform online transactions or register for schools abroad or other online registrations as all network services too will shut down.
Why is this so?
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has warned that about 10 states will have telecommunication blackout.
It said this is following the crank down on telecom facilities by the Kogi state government.
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The states risking the total blackout include Kogi, Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger and the Abuja.
These neighbouring states will suffer telecom blackout as a result of the actions of Kogi state, the teecom body, ALTON, warned.
The Gist you need to know:
Recently, the Kogi state government, through the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), sought to generate more revenue for the state.
The revenue service decided to look inwards, including beaming more searchlight on the telecommunications companies operating in the state.
Consequently, it said some of the telecom companies are in debt to the state, hence, it started shutting down many telecom facilities in the state.
KIRS also obtained an ex-parte court order that authorised it to shut down the operations of telecom operators.
The ex-parte order empowers KIRS to shut down companies in default of tax payments to the state government.
Telecom Companies deny debt, make accusations:
However, the telecom companies have denied being in debt to the state government.
They have also accused the KIRS of imposing unusual taxes and levies on them.
Alerting the general public, ALTON warned that the states surrounding Kogi will also experience telecom blackout.
It said the telecommunication blackout is imminent.
Also, it said the KIRS has already shut down about 70 telecommunication sites in the state.
The duo of ALTON’s chairman and head of operations, Gbenga Adebayo and Gbolahan Awonuga respectively, revealed this to newsmen.
In a statement, they said the Kogi state government has sealed up its members’ operational sites.
The statement said thus:
“As a result of these actions by the state government, our members are unable to refuel power generators in these sites, a situation which has led to outage of over 70 sites including hub sites across parts of Kogi State.
“Now, with likely impact on the nine states surrounding Kogi (namely:- Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger States.
“These are States sharing borders with Kogi State), and Abuja the FCT inclusive,” Adebayo and Awonuga said in the statement.
“We are very concerned that this indiscriminate action has the potential of further leading to a total telecommunications outage in Kogi State with neighbouring states and parts of the Federal Capital Territory adversely impacted.”
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