 has issued a stern notice to contractors, urging them to conduct thorough site inspections){kind=link}
The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has issued a stern notice to contractors, urging them to conduct thorough site inspections and reach out to the right authorities before digging to prevent the destruction of buried telecommunications cables.
State Commandant Joachin Okafor delivered this warning during a high-level meeting in Rivers State, acting on a direct mandate from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He said, “Contractors must carry out due diligence, consultation and verification before excavation to avoid damage to critical telecom infrastructure.”
The Commandant went on to caution that any damage whether it stems from a blatant act or simple negligence will result in legal action.
“Any arbitrary tampering or destruction of fibre-optic cables will be treated as sabotage and vandalism under the law.”
According to a release by the Command’s PRO, SC Ihemnacho Umeado, industry leaders at the gathering voiced their frustrations over the constant financial hits they take due to construction accidents, but they noted that better teamwork could stop these problems in their tracks.
The statement added that the telecom stakeholders resolved to adopt measures such as mapping telecom routes, joint verification before road projects, and improved communication with service providers to safeguard critical infrastructure.