…SIM blockade: Mob vandalises telco’s office at Festac Town
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has ordered telecommunications operators, telcos, to immediately restore all phone lines blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers, NIN, to SIM cards.
Reuben Muoka, the Director of Media and Public Affairs disclosed this on Monday.
Recall that many Nigerians were agitated over what they perceived as restrictions by the NCC, which they felt were attempts to frustrate the August planned protest.
In a statement released by the NCC and sighted by Our Correspondent, Muoka stated that many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines because of the inability of many telecom consumers to verify their NINs with their SIMs.
The statement read, “Over the weekend, many telecom subscribers/consumers were unable to access their phone lines due to their inability to verify their NINs with their SIMs.
“This resulted in their numbers being blocked by their telecom service providers in compliance with the laws and policies of the NIN-SIM linkage.
“Telecoms consumers and the public will recall the compulsory linkage of NIN with SIM, which began in December 2020, when the government directed telecommunication companies to bar unregistered SIM cards and SIMs that were not linked to NIN.
“Since December 2023, the Commission has reviewed the deadline a few times; April 15, 2024, was set as the deadline for the full network barring of subscribers with four or fewer SIMs that had unverified NIN details.
“This deadline was then reviewed to July 31, 2024, to give consumers more time to ensure their submitted NIN details are properly verified. Despite these extensions, many phone lines have yet to be linked with verified NINs.
“The objectives of this exercise by the Federal Government of Nigeria include enhancing national security and ensuring the national SIM ownership database is accurate. The NIN-SIM linkage policy aids in verifying and protecting users’ identities while also providing critical infrastructure that assures access to the benefits of a robust digital economy for the citizenry.
“The consumer is our priority. Therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, given the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs. Reactivated consumers are to note that this is for a limited period to allow them to properly link their NIN to their SIM.
“Members of the public who have yet to verify their SIMs are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to maintain access to their lines.”
SIM blockade: Mob vandalises telco’s office at Festac Town
Meanwhile, a mob, on Monday, vandalized a section of mobile telephone network operator, MTN, property in Festac Town, Lagos.
Their actions, according to reports, were triggered after the network provider blocked their SIM cards yesterday.
In a video obtained by Salient Times, customers of MTN were seen protesting to register their displeasure over their SIM blockade.
A handful of youths were then spotted vandalizing a section of the MTN office in Festac Town.
Also, hundreds of customers of MTN in Osun State embarked on a protest around Dada Estate housing the service provider’s head office in the state.
Many of the protesters claimed to have arrived at the office at 6 a.m., with a view to unblocking their SIM cards which the network providers blocked due to NIN inconsistency.
The protesters also blocked the Osogbo-Iwo Road leading to the Oke-Fia area of the state capital, thereby disrupting traffic and creating gridlock in the area.
The customers, consisting of old men, women, pregnant women and others, including civil servants appeared visibly angry over the refusal to be attended to by the workers in the office
