The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Command in Akwa Ibom has cautioned on the destruction of fibre optic cables and other critical infrastructure by miners and road construction companies.
The Commandant, Geraldine Abetianbe, made the caution in a statement to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday.
Abetianbe said that telecommunication fibre cables are classified as critical national information infrastructure under the Critical National Information Infrastructure
“Any damage, whether deliberate or negligence, constitutes a serious offence with national security implications,” she said.
The NSCDC boss urged mining and road construction companies in the state to liaise with relevant authorities before digging, drilling, excavation, and construction.
She warned that ignorance of the presence of fibre cables or other telecommunications installations would not be accepted.
“It will attract immediate detention, investigation, and prosecution under existing laws,” she said.
Abetianbe stated that the warning became necessary due to increasing disruption of telecommunication network services in many states across the country.
She said that the destructions were threatening connectivity to global communication, commercial, security and economic systems.
“Some of these disruptions have been linked to the activities of construction companies, scavengers and miners that are disregarding telecommunications infrastructure right of way,” she said.
The NSCDC official said that the corps would collaborate with professional bodies, relevant ministries, and other security agencies to tackle the ugly trend.
She encouraged members of the public, professional bodies, project managers, and community stakeholders to report suspicious excavation activities and vandalism of infrastructure to the corps.
NAN