A dire communication crisis has gripped the oil-rich Polobubou (Tsekelewu) and its satellite communities in Egbema Kingdom, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, as mobile network services have completely collapsed for over four consecutive days, with no resolution in sight.
This prolonged outage, which residents say is becoming “a constant nightmare,” has not only severed access to digital communication but also paralyzed critical economic, social media, educational research, and security functions.
The affected communities, relying solely on a single mobile network provider, are now confronting what some describe as “a digital blackout with 21st-century consequences.”
“We are forced to climb water tanks just to find a single bar of signal to make calls or transfer money through POS,” Lodge Jonathan, lamented . “It’s a dangerous, but people have no choice. We are being pushed to the edge.”
Residents say the situation is gravely impacting students, traders, parents, and security agents who can no longer communicate within and outside the region.
According to them, “Security operatives stationed in strategic locations are completely disconnected from one another. In emergency situations, this lack of communication could be so deadly.”
Polobubou community, often referred to as the economic heartbeat of Egbema Kingdom, boasts a large population and abundant natural resources. Yet, despite its significance, it is tethered to a single, unstable telecom provider which is a condition community members describe as “barbaric” and “unacceptable in the computer age.”
“This is the digital era! We shouldn’t be struggling for a basic amenity like communication or the cyber-space,” Mr. Allen, one of the teachers, who is taken Data processing in Tsekelewu secondary school, emphasized.
How can we live without connection in a globalized world?”
The failure of the network has caused ripple effects by delaying business transactions, frustrating job applicants who rely on internet-based application systems, and cutting off access to emergency services. Many now fear for their safety and financial survival.
The community is urgently calling on its leaders, both traditional and political, to remedy the singularity of network in their domain. The demand is clear: engage multiple network providers such as Airtel and MTN to break the monopoly and ensure reliable connectivity.
“If Glo Nigeria Limited cannot meet our communication needs, then we must invite others who can,” Mr. Jonathan concluded. “Our voices must not be silenced. We demand modern infrastructure for a modern people.”
In this age of digital dependence, communication is not a luxury but it is a lifeline. What’s happening in Polobubou, is not just a network failure; it’s a failure of global connectivity.
