By Prince Osuagwu

It appears the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has began to feel the heat generated from the recent deactivation of improperly registered SIM cards in the country. Although this exercise had been forewarned since two years ago, it actually dawned on the subscribers last week when the regulator ordered the immediate deactivation of SIM cards that did not follow the approved registration processes.

However, the impact was not funny and millions of angry subscribers affected by this action, as a result of the despondent feeling of a life without their phones, cried blue murder, took to the streets and stalled activities at different service centres of the mobile network operators in the country.

Beyond that, the subscribers under the umbrella of National Association of Telecom Subscribers, NATCOMS, has threatened to take their grievances to the law court, possibly to address the hurt of its members.

However, the regulator says that much as it is deeply concerned and feels the near unrest this action has given to the telecom sector in these few days, the feeling of national security was so strong to reassure it the actions were to the best interest of all.

The commission says every Nigerian must rise above the emotions of the immediate impact of this current action, particularly when considering the collateral damage and injury everyone would sustain should anything go wrong as a result of the negligence of improper registration of SIMS.

It reminded the subscribers of the growing world of phone related crimes, and appealed for deep understanding. Spokesperson and Director Public Affairs of the commission, Mr. Tony Ojobo, has explained that the decision was actually taken for the good of country and its people. He also explained that what seems a sudden decision actually spans over two years within which period the Commission has appealed to the operators to do the right thing, with all the appeals being rebuffed.

“In every situation the Commission is aware of its tripod relationship with the primary constituencies: the operators, the consumers and the government; and would always strive to ensure a balance without tilting to any one’s disadvantage. This relationship is defined in the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

“However, the Act also charges us with the promotion of fair competition in the communications industry and the implementation of Government’s general policies on communications. The Act particularly charges us with the protection and promotion of the interest of consumers against unfair practices including but not limited to matters relating to tariffs and charges for and the availability and quality of communications services, equipment and facilities.

“Against this background it must really be a painful but very expedient necessity for the Commission, last week, to still come down heavily on the industry reeling out the following measures: *Service providers must commence immediate deactivation of any SIM card that does not generate any economic activity after 48 hours of registration as contained in the NCC directives.

*The general public is hereby notified that selling, buying and use of pre-registered SIM card is illegal and is punishable under the NCC law. *Immediate deactivation of all SIM cards that are not properly registered or contain incomplete registration. However, subscribers who are so disconnected are advised to go back to their respective Service Providers to properly register their SIM cards.

*Any Service Provider who fails to abide by these measures would be sanctioned, as this is considered an attempt to sabotage Government’s efforts to address security challenges in the country. *All subscribers are advised to bear with the inconveniences that these measures may cause them as this is designed to safeguard lives and properties of all citizens”.

Ojobo appealed for understanding, saying the measures were taken after considering a lot of factors, including to prevent the telecoms industry from declining into an emergency situation; “to restore discipline and ensure the protection of life of the citizenry across the country; the need to have credible data base of phone users which prompted the SIM card registration in 2010”.

He said that though the exercise ended in 2012 with 110million lines registered, registrations were still ongoing as new SIMs are added to the networks and data scrubbed and uploaded to ensure foolproof data base. According to the commission, “in the last two years there have been several communications from us to the operators on the need to maintain scrupulous control on the SIM card registration exercise in order to achieve one of the cardinal aims of attaining a credible data base and in the process help solve security concerns in the country.

While the appeals may have fallen on deaf ears, worries are hitting frenetic heights about the activities of miscreants and other evil-intentioned minds who continue to exploit the loopholes in the process to unleash havoc on unsuspecting Nigerians. This culminated in the meeting of August 4, 2015 between the office of the NSA, the regulator and the operators with the operators being given seven days within which to deactivate all pre-registered SIM cards.

“The guidelines on SIM card registration are very clear. Any card without economic activity in 48 hours should immediately be blocked. Now the pre-registered SIM card comes with a different hazard entirely. It is like a loaded gun. If it gets into the hands of the undesirable, the society will have a reason to worry. It is the worries that have goaded the NCC to take a very firm stand in order to help secure of the safety of the generality.

There have been media reports about the hefty amount of money spent on the SIM registration exercise, comprising N25bn by the operators and another N6.1bn by the NCC. Some writers have gone to the conclusion that based on what is happening now all that money may have gone down the drain. Whatever amount spent is not lost at all as there is a huge data base that is permanently being enhanced. The standards are well defined.

It is the registrations that fall short of standard that will immediately be addressed while the pre-registered SIMs, almost akin to man-made problems must also be dealt with immediately. “But while we count the cost of the project, while we moan that we are unable to use our phones, some people are getting killed, others are facing danger and there are those who may never be able to make calls again or make money in their entire life.

Each time somebody goes down for an action that should have been taken but not taken, each time there is a kidnap, each time money is stolen from the bank or in the extreme, each time a bomb explodes and the act is traceable to a phone that is not properly registered, our humaneness is not only attenuated and degraded but life stops to have functional meaning as those charged with responsibility to carry the burden of a corroding moral guilt”.