NCC warns against use of unregistered SIM cards

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned telecom subscribers in the country not to use phone lines that do not bear their identity because a criminal may have registered it.

Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof Umar Dambatta, who gave the warning yesterday at the ongoing Abuja International Trade Fair, said that the reasons behind the directive for disconnection of all invalid or improperly registered SIM cards was for collective and individual security.

Dambatta, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Public Relations in the commission, Mr. Reuben Muoka, noted that the compliance monitoring and enforcement department of the commission has successfully deactivated all such lines while the networks have been encouraged to correct those registrations at minimal inconvenience to the subscribers.

He said: “Our monitoring activities have revealed in some locations across the country that some people are still patronising agents selling pre-registered SIM cards. We have severally informed subscribers that it is dangerous to use phone lines that do not bear your identity because it may have been registered by criminals. The commission is determined to wipe the issue of pre-registered SIMs.