NetBlocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and internet governance, has confirmed there was a disruption to the network of MTN Group Limited, the leading network provider in Nigeria, to limit the coverage of #EndBadGovernance protests nationwide.
The Internet watchdog disclosed this on Thursday, confirming that network data indicated a disruption to the leading internet provider MTN in Nigeria.
Confirmed: Network data show a disruption to leading internet provider MTN in #Nigeria; the incident may limit the visibility of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests; the operator states it is working to resolve the issue, NetBlocks wrote on X.
Contrary to NetBlocks’ confirmation of what was a deliberate attempt to prevent journalists and protesters from disseminating the crackdown and killings perpetrated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, a spokesperson to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which oversees internet service providers, told Semafor the agency had not received quality of service complaints and said it did not direct operators to control access.
In a corroborative tone, the Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said during an interview on ChannelsTV, “There is no instruction to tamper with the network.”
“It’s not sabotage. You also need to understand that when you have many people who are not at work, people are online. So you expect the traffic to be extremely high,” he added, stating he is not saying it is the cause of network disruption, as he has not made any findings to the effect.
Meanwhile, NetBlocks’ network chart indicated a deliberate 40% drop in connectivity, confirming a calculated attempt to crack down on the nationwide protests.
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