JOIN USAt least 16 people have been killed as Islamist radical sect Boko Haram blew up, burnt and torn down several mobile phone masts, including those belonging to a subsidiary of India's Airtel in northern Nigeria over the past two days.
Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for the attacks on Airtel and other telecoms installations said in a statement that the companies were assisting the government and security agencies in detecting and arresting its devotees.
The outfit also threatened to attack the facilities of Voice of America (VOA) and kill its reporters for spreading falsehood about the sect.
The groups statement said its goal is to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria and that it would not hesitate to take punitive measures against anybody who sabotages this mission.
"This is why we are fighting the Nigerian government and its collaborators, including telecommunication companies. We would continue attacking them (telecoms) until the time they stop releasing information about our activities." the group's spokesman Abu Qaqa said.
The group burnt down 24 base stations of base stations of Airtel, Glo, Etisal in Yobe, Taraba, Borno and killed 16 people over the past two days, Nigeria Tribune reported.
Boko Haram said it is emphasizing its resolve to fight VOA by urging its employees to quit or face death.
The attacks came six months after the sect threatened mobile phone companies here, accusing them of cooperation with the government in the arrest of its members.
Spokesman for Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Opara told PTI the companies facilities were destroyed in four northern states of Borno, Gombe, Yobe, and Kano.
MTN issued a statement saying that customers may experience outright network failures due to the attacks.
Landlines are non-existent in Nigeria and the country’s population depends on mobile telephony and the attack could lead to a major hiccup that could have serious economic consequences.
Experts say the damage is like to run into millions of dollars as the cost of a single tower can exceed USD 1m.
Boko Haram launched a military campaign in 2009 to fight for Islamic rule, bombing government buildings, churches and assassinating moderate Muslim clerics.
Airtel started by investing USD 600 million in Nigeria's mobile market in 2010 following its take-over of the holdings of Kuwaiti-based Zain after closing a USD 10.7 billion deal.