The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, has warned that nine states in Nigeria might experience communication blackout if nothing is done to resolve the dispute between them and the Kogi state government.
According to the body, the Kogi state government through the Kogi state Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) had shut down and sealed its facilities in the state over dispute rising from taxes and levies.
In a statement by the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, the body is not owing the state government as it had paid all legitimate taxes and levies in the state, stressing that what the KIRS are demanding for as “unusual.”
A statement signed by Adebayo read, “The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON wishes to express concern about the shutting down of telecommunications facilities in Kogi State as a result of disputes arising from unusual taxes and levies demanded by the Kogi State Government through its Internal Revenue Service (KIRS).
“This issue is likely to lead to a total communications blackout in the entire Kogi State, parts of Abuja the Federal Capital Territory.”
“It will also impact on service availability in some parts of the following states: Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger States. These are States sharing borders with Kogi State.
“This situation arises as a number of critical telecommunications sites belonging to our members have been closed and sealed up by Kogi State Government in an attempt to increase Internally Generated Revenue IGR collection.
“This action followed an ex-parte court order obtained by the KIRS over unsubstantiated allegations that our members are in default of tax payments to the state government (which is not the truth) and access to these critical telecom sites has been denied.
“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 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.
“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.
“To the best of our knowledge, our members have settled all statutory levies and taxes due the Kogi State Government and have taken necessary steps to comply with local laws that govern business activities within Kogi State.”
