Convicted! SIM card registration defaulters - ITREALMS

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Some defaulters of the Subscribers Identification Module (SIM) card registration regulations in the country have been convicted, reports ITREALMS.

Disclosing this to ITREALMS, the Nigerian Communications Commission said the conviction was in line with the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations) 2011.

According to the Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka in a recent public notice available to ITREALMS, "any individual or group involved in the sales and use of pre-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, will be arrested, and prosecuted and if found culpable, will be made to face the full weight of the law."

Muoka also informed that in a recent monitoring and enforcement exercise by the Commission, "some suspects were arrested, handed over to the law enforcement agencies, prosecuted and have been convicted."

As said by him, in keeping with NCC's powers under the Act, the Commission regularly undertakes monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure that all stakeholders comply with extant laws, regulations and directives as they apply to telecom governance in Nigeria.

NCC, therefore, reiterated that both the sale and use of fraudulently registered SIM are illegal.

Muoka said that NCC is taking note of reports indicating that the illegal acts are perpetrated to commit or aid the commission of other criminal acts such as armed robbery, kidnapping, financial fraud, terrorism, and sundry offences.

"It is therefore important that members of the public take note that the laws, subsidiary legislations, and guidelines on SIM card registration in Nigeria are still in force and forbid anyone from indulging in any activity relating to sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards in Nigeria," he warned.

Remmy Nweke/DoP