" ITREALMS: NCC insists ‘it’s criminal to use, sale pre-registered SIMs’

Thursday, October 06, 2016

NCC insists ‘it’s criminal to use, sale pre-registered SIMs’


The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decried the continuous patronage of use and sale of pre-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards in the country, reports ITRealms.

The regulator, through the Director, Public Affairs Department, Mr. Tony Ojobo reiterated that it is criminal to use and or sale pre-registered SIM cards across the nation, pointing at Sections 19 and 20 of the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers) Regulations, 2011 state.

According to him, “Section 19.(1) Any licensee who fails to capture, register, deregister or transmit the details of any individual or corporate subscribers to the Central Database as specified in these Regulations or as may be stipulated from time to time by the Commission is liable to a penalty of N200,000.00 for each subscription medium.

“(2) A licensee who activates any Subscription Medium without capturing, registering and transmitting the personal information to the Central Database commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N200, 000.00 for each unregistered activated Subscription Medium.

“20.(1) Any licensee who activates or fails to deactivate a subscription medium in violation of any provision of these Regulations is liable to pay a penalty of N200,000.00 for each unregistered but activated subscription medium.”

Ojobo also noted that sub-Section stated “(2) Where the Commission is satisfied that a body corporate is culpable, the Director, Chief Executive Officer, Manager or Secretary shall also be liable to pay a fine of N200, 000.00 unless, having regard to the nature of his functions in that capacity and to all the surrounding circumstances, he proves that (i) the offence was committed without his knowledge, consent or connivance; and (ii) he took all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the Commission of the breach."

Accordingly, NCC warned operators and their appointed dealers and agents to desist forthwith from the practice of pre-registering SIM cards and selling same in the open market in violation of the above stated provisions.

“The general public is also notified to stop purchasing pre-registered SIM cards and insist on being registered personally for any new SIM card purchased,” Ojobo said in a public notice made available to ITRealms.

Emphasising that all violators will face stiff sanctions as the NCC will enlist the assistance of law enforcement agencies to address and curb this menace.


Chuks Egbune/GEE
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