The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has reiterated that Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards that are barred from making calls, will not be freed by the service providers until they are linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs) of the SIM holders.
The Commission said this information has become necessary in view of a viral web link (https://bit.ly/NCC-Sim-Unbar-Gov-Ng) being circulated on social media and on some websites.
In a statement yesterday, NCC declared that “The link and accompanying narrative represent patent misinformation and disinformation certainly designed to mislead the general public about the SIM cards that are barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such a statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN,” it added.
Urging mobile network subscribers to disregard the message, the statement said the NCC is co-driving the process of the NIN-SIM linkage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as directed by the Federal Government.
The directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage, will among others, strengthen the security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government, as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters.”
“The Commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to the Federal Government’s directive to MNOs to bar SIMs cards not linked to NINs at the expiration of the last deadline given for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.”
It went further to list steps telecom subscribers must take to get their SIMs actively reconnected to make calls.
“First, for subscribers that have not registered for their NIN, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.
“Secondly, for subscribers with registered NINs, what to do is to simply go and link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers,” it said.
It also informed that the directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage will among others, “strengthen security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government, as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters.”
