NSA dismisses allegation of plans to shutdown internet during elections

chika ebuzor

February 2, 2019 11:10 AM

Governor Nyesom Wike had alleged that the ONSA issued a directive to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work with internet service providers to ensure that they shutdown their servers.

INEC staff setting up a polling booth

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed allegations that the Federal Government is planning to shutdown the internet in Nigeria during the elections.

According to Vanguard, the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike had alleged that the ONSA issued a directive to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work with internet service providers to ensure that they shutdown their servers.

Wike said “NSA has met with INEC to ensure that internet service provider’s shutdown the internet, so that foreign bodies won’t see what’s happening in the country during the elections.

“They will jam all the frequencies and internet services to stop real time communication during the elections. This plot to rig the forthcoming election is a recipe for violence. They will not succeed in whatever they are planning. The world will be informed about their criminal activities.”

Governor Wike ece-auto-gen

ONSA’s reaction

Reacting to the allegation, the spokesman to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Danjuma Reuben issued a statement urging Nigerians to disregard the allegation.

According to Daily Post, Reuben said shutting down the internet will also affect the operations of the government.

The NSA’s spokesman said “The office wishes to advise the general public to disregard the allegation, which is a disinformation.

“This Office, wishes to state that the internet and associated communications infrastructure are major components of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), which ONSA is mandated to ensure its security.

Card Reader in use during the last election ece-auto-gen

“Accordingly, the Office in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government makes continuous efforts to protect them and improve service delivery to Nigerians.

“Furthermore, every single national security platform in the country rides on the same internet to function.

“Therefore shutting down the internet is akin to shutting down national development and security," he added.

Some observers are of the opinion that shutting down the internet will also affect the transmission of the results from polling booths to INEC’s head office.

According to them, the card readers will not be able to function as they need to get voters’ details from INEC’s servers to be able to authenticate the Permanent Voters Cards.

chika ebuzor