Two telecommunication firms have advised subscribers to remain calm over alleged threat by a religious group to attack their infrastructure.

MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria said that they relied on the nation’s security agencies to guard the facilities against any attack.

Mr Rajan Swaroop, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, said that the company had been working with the security agencies to protect the infrastructure.

Swaroop said that the company did not take the threat lightly, hence it had contacted relevant security agencies over the issue.

He said that the security agencies knew how best to handle the threat, adding that Airtel would continue to seek their support and that of the Federal Government.

Mr Akinwale Goodluck, the Corporate Service Executive of MTN Nigeria, said that the company was also relying on the security agencies to protect its equipment.

“The security agencies are responsible for the protection of infrastructure and persons,’’ he said.

Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, the President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), however, said that the threat had given credence to calls to classify these facilities as national infrastructure.

Ogunbanjo called on the National Assembly to consider the issue and speedily pass the bill to protect the telecommunications infrastructure for the good of the citizens.

He said that any attack on masts would disrupt many person’ means of livelihood as they would be unable to communicate with the rest of the world.

Mr Titi Omo-Ettu, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), advised the Federal Government to take threat seriously.

Omo-Ettuu urged the government to be more proactive in dealing with issues on religion.

NAN recalled that the group had threatened to attack telecommunications infrastructure over alleged connivance with security agents in bugging phones of its members.

The group alleged that the collaboration led to the arrest of many of its members.