NIGERIAN Communication Commission (NCC) has gone into a partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies to curtail the activities vandalism of telecom installations, facilities and infrastructure.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who nade this known during a one day sensitisation workshop for law enforcement agencies on telecommunication issues organised in Keffi, Nassarawa State, said that the rise of mobile telecoms in Nigeria with its phenomenal growth and contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has given rise to an increase in cyber crime as well as theft and vandalisation of telecom equipment.
Danbatta who was represented by the NCC’s Head of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, said that the collaboration between the organisation, the security agencies and other stakeholders would help in tackling all forms of criminality on telecommunication operations in the country.
According to him, the workshop was planned to sensitise the law enforcement officers on some key challenges and issues on telecommunication regulation in Nigeria for the overall development of the sector and country at large.
“The long term objective is to enhance our ability to regulate effectively in order to consolidate the exponential gains recorded in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria”, he added.
He disclosed that the the contribution of the sector to the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) is nearing 10 per cent, hence the need to form a coalition of forces in a renewed strategic partnership with all players in the security sector to contain every forms of criminality on telecommunication in Nigeria.
Danbatta also revealed that NCC has witnessed a painful rise in the tempo of outright theft of telecommunication equipment as well as vandalism of telecommunication installations, facilities and infrastructure.
“We have also seen proliferation in the sale and usage of pre-registered Subscribers Identification Modules (SIM), all of which constitute nasty infraction of the Nigeria Communication Act 2003 and other extant regulation governing the telecommunications sector,” he added
The head of the Commission said it has began the process of signing MoUs between it and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), adding that the same process will apply to other security agencies as the need arises.
By Agency
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