The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced the enforcement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Order which criminalises the vandalism, theft, and obstruction of critical national infrastructure, including telecommunications facilities.
This was disclosed by the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, to the NCC headquarters in Abuja. She represented the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Maida.
Mrs. Ukoha expressed concern over the rising cases of vandalism and theft involving telecom infrastructure such as fibre cables, generators, and fuel, which have continued to degrade network quality and disrupt services to millions of Nigerians. She noted that the Executive Order signed by President Tinubu on June 24, 2024, formally designated telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), making any interference or destruction a criminal offense. She stated that the Commission is now fully committed to implementing this directive.
She explained that apart from outright vandalism, telecom operations are also affected by denial of access to sites by local communities and authorities, and frequent accidental damage caused by road construction and civil works. According to her, these challenges make it difficult for operators to maintain infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted services.
Mrs. Ukoha further disclosed that the NCC has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign to educate Nigerians on the importance of protecting telecom and other critical infrastructure. The Commission is also working closely with relevant stakeholders to minimize construction-related damages, especially fibre cuts.
Addressing public concerns on data usage, she clarified that telecom operators do not tamper with or “steal” subscribers’ internet data. Rather, she attributed unexpected data depletion to background app refresh, automatic updates, hotspot sharing, and high-resolution content consumption. She urged subscribers to monitor their device settings, manage data responsibly, and understand their subscription plans to avoid unnecessary data loss.
Mrs. Ukoha commended journalists for their ongoing role in educating the public and called for deeper collaboration between the NCC and the NUJ in promoting digital literacy and countering misinformation. She highlighted the Commission’s efforts to expand affordable internet to underserved areas and to build the capacity of journalists, particularly senior editors in Abuja and Lagos.
Also speaking, Mallam Yakubu Musa, Head of Corporate Communications at NCC, reaffirmed the Commission’s strong relationship with the media and emphasized the importance of a transparent and inclusive telecom regulatory process.
In her response, NUJ FCT Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, expressed the Union’s readiness to partner with the NCC on training, public education, and initiatives that improve internet access for journalists. She commended the Commission’s proactive approach to regulation and requested its support for the NUJ FCT Press Week and other capacity-building programmes.
The NUJ delegation included key executive members and media professionals, reflecting the Union’s commitment to building partnerships that advance national development.
