An Associated Press journalist in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, found services unavailable since early today morning. Mobile phone numbers belonging to government officials and military officials there and in neighbouring Yobe state could not be reached.
A military spokesman in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, did not respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for MTN, the country's dominant carrier, would only say "no comment" when asked if the government told them to turn off service in the region.