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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