More than 72.77 million active telecommunications customers have been banned from making calls on their SIMs, following the direction of the Federal Government to telecommunications companies.
On Monday, The Federal Government orders telecommunications companies to enforce compliance with the National Identification Number Customer Identity Module policy by limiting outgoing calls on all unconnected channels because the verification deadline ends on March 31.
This directive was included in a joint statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communication Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, and the Head, Corporate Communications at the Nigerian Identity Management Commission, Mr. Kayode Adegoke. According to the statement, 125 million SIMs have submitted their NINs to link, while more than 78 million unique NINs have been issued. It said the deadline for NIN-SIM relations had been extended several times to enable Nigerians to comply with the policy. It said, “Therefore, Mr. President is happy to approve many requests to extend deadlines for NIN-SIM relations. However, at this point, the government has determined that the implementation of the NIN-SIM policy can be continued, because the device has been prepared to ensure the compliance of legitimate citizens and residents. “Implementation impacts on government strategic planning, particularly in the area of security and socio-economic projections. “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the adoption of policies that take effect from April 2022.
Therefore, the Federal Government has directed all telecommunications companies to strictly enforce the policy on all SIMs issued (existing and new) in Nigeria.
“Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage policy from April 4, 2022.”
Also commenting on the issue, Civil Society Organisations faulted the intention of the Federal Government as regards the NIN-SIM policy.
The Convener, Adopt a Goal Initiative, Dare Ariyo-Atoye, said.
“We are beginning to wonder whether the communications minister has any other motive for demanding the NIN data beyond what is publicly known to Nigerians. We hope the Buhari regime is not just in a hurry to harvest our data for another use post its departure next year.
The Coordinator, Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, added, “As far as most Nigerians are concerned, the linkage of NIN to SIM has nothing at all to do with the objective of achieving holistic national security.
“It is a gambit by the communications minister to advance certain sinister agenda that is not connected to any of Nigeria’s national interests.”
SKJ