The regional office of South Africa-based telco, MTN in Abuja was reportedly shut down on Wednesday after it was picketed by a group protesting the ongoing xenophobic attacks on Nigerian and other Africans in South Africa.

According to a report on the Sun, “more than 100 youths converged on the MTN premises in Abuja carrying placards with inscriptions. Apparently worried that more attacks might follow, the MTN office, which services the entire Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some northern states, immediately shut down its operations.”

Meanwhile, MTN’s executive for Group Corporate Affairs, Chris Maroleng has debunked certain components in the report.

He told News24 that “there was peaceful protest action outside its Abuja office on Tuesday – not Wednesday, as reported – and a memorandum was handed over.The only “disruption” was for about an hour when MTN staff could not access the building due to the protest outside.”

Maroleng said MTN’s business “is fully operational.”

Image via: techcentral

Bolade Popoola Author

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