Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned telecommunications consumers, whose Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards were barred from making calls, not to fall victim to a viral weblink claiming to unlock their numbers.
In a notice on Monday, the telecommunications regulator firmed that affected SIMs will not be unbarred by the service providers until they are linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs) of the SIM holders.
It warned that this became necessary in view of the viral calls unblocking website, https://bit.ly/NCC-Sim-Unbar-Gov-Ng, being circulated on social media and on some websites.
It stressed that the link and accompanying narrative represent patent misinformation and disinformation 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.
The viral message displays the NCC logo and promises members of the public that, by clicking the web link and following further instructions in that regard, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.
The NCC noted that it, “wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN. As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of the public. Therefore, their message should be disregarded.”
It added that “The commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to 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 called on affected subscribers that have not registered for their NIN to do so and 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.
It urged subscribers with registered NINs to link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.
The NCC also reiterated its commitment to strengthening the security situation in the country through the NIN-SIM Linkage as well assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government and consumer protection.
It also warned that it is not recruiting at the moment and for Nigerians to disregard circulated information about any prospective employment process.
