House of Reps threatens telecom CEOs with arrest over service issues

The House of Representatives issued a warning on Wednesday regarding the potential arrest of chief executives from telecommunications companies who do not appear before its ad hoc committee investigating ongoing poor network services. The committee has set a deadline of November 4, 2026, for these executives to explain the persistent service failures affecting subscribers across Nigeria.

This warning came after the committee rejected an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, represented by its chairman Gbenga Adebayo, to stand in for the companies. The committee, chaired by Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), emphasized that each operator, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and Mafab Communications, must individually account for their service delivery.

Lawmakers expressed frustration over a letter from ALTON questioning the committee's authority, asserting that the operators hold individual licenses and are obligated to appear. The committee had previously considered summoning the executives for arrest but opted to give them another chance after they failed to respond to earlier invitations.