• Customers go violent, return to telcos’ outlets
• MTN Nigeria closes centres nationwide 

Despite the directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday, asking telecom operators to unbar millions of subscribers, many of the affected subscribers are still unable to either make or receive calls on their lines.

This invariably means that many subscribers remained unbarred. This is evidenced in the stampedes at the service outlets, as customers jostle to get their lines reactivated. These users have become violent, and yesterday saw damaging infrastructure of some telecoms operators.

The Guardian checks further revealed that the SIM-NIN linkage process was further compounded by the downtime witnessed by some of the telcos as a result of pressure on the facilities.

Besides, harmonisation flaws on the part of the operators have become sources of worry to some subscribers, who claimed to have earlier completed the NIN-SIM linkage twice before now, only to be barred again and called out for re-registration and re-linking.

A subscriber at MTN office, Bilikis Adekunle, said she woke up on Sunday to discover that she has been barred.

“I remembered that I linked the SIM to NIN in March, to be barred again baffled me. What happened to the linkage I did before? You can see the crowd here. I came here as early as 7:30 a.m. and I still met over 40 people on the ground. Something urgent needs to be done; we cannot go through this harrowing experience again.”

An Airtel subscriber, Oluwarantimi Adeolu at the Ilupeju outlet of the telecoms firm lamented that the recent barring was the third experience she’s had.

“About two years ago, I was messaged to come and complete my SIM registration, which I did then. Last December, I was messaged again to come link my NIN-SIM, which I had done before then. I didn’t come because I later got a message that my registration had been completed. Only for me to wake up this weekend to discover that I could neither receive nor make calls.”

Adeolu said it is worrisome that Nigeria cannot carry out a common harmonisation, “this is despite the several billion that has gone into SIM registration, NIN updates, NIN-SIM linkage. How long are we going to continue this? I’m sure before December, I will be called again to come and re-verify. The whole process is just messed up.”

Nonetheless, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has appealed to affected subscribers to be calm, stressing that the operators are working to resolve the challenges.

ALTON in a statement signed by the Chairman and Executive Secretary, Gbenga Adebayo and Gbolahan Awonuga, respectively, said the fact of the matter is that the harmonisation exercise of the SIM Registration database and National Identity Database has been ongoing for several months. He said this is aimed at improving the integrity of the National SIM registration database.

Speaking on the issue, the National President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMs) Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said that the barring of lines was not done to frustrate anybody or group.

Ogunbanjo said that there was a recent announcement on the issue but many subscribers did not take heed to it.

MEANWHILE, MTN Nigeria yesterday announced the closure of its shops across Nigeria, asking its customers to use its digital channels for any support they may need.

While no reason has been given for the closure, this may not be unconnected with the eruption of violence at some of its shops on Monday as customers besieged its support centres to unbar their lines that have been blocked over NIN-SIM linkage issues.

In a short notice to its subscribers posted on its Customer Care handle on X, MTN said: “Please, be informed that our shops nationwide will be closed today, July 30. We are available 24/7 to support you via our digital channels.”