* Several masts destroyed in Kano and Maiduguri
* Islamist group suspected
KANO/MAIDUGURI, Sept 5 (Reuters) – Gunmen in northern
Nigeria attacked and damaged several mobile phone masts on
Wednesday, including those belonging to MTN and Airtel
, security sources and one of the companies told
Reuters.
The attacks occurred in the northern Nigerian cities of Kano
and Maiduguri, where Islamists are waging a low-level insurgency
against President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
In Maiduguri, Islamist group Boko Haram’s home base in the
far northeast, a Reuters reporter saw 10 masts burned to the
ground on Wednesday morning and local residents complained there
was no mobile telephone reception.
In Kano, Nigeria’s second largest city, men on motorbikes
destroyed MTN and Airtel mobile phone masts in the early hours
of Wednesday, a policeman told Reuters, asking not to be named.
He said Boko Haram was suspected to be behind the attack.
It was not clear if Boko Haram, which has killed hundreds
this year in the largely-Muslim north, was involved. The sect
usually attacks government, security or sectarian targets.
Sources close to the sect said Boko Haram members have in
the past been concerned they may be traced through mobile
phones.
“We confirm that like all the other major telcos, some of
MTN’s installations in northern Nigeria have been damaged by
unknown persons,” spokeswoman Funmilayo Omogbenigun said.
Continued…
