Business
NCC To Check Sale Of Pre-Registered SIM Cards
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it has set up a monitoring team to check the sale of pre-registered SIM cards in the country.
Head of Media and Public Relations of the Commission, Mr Reuben Muoka, said this in Abuja that the purchase of pre-registered SIM card was illegal and punishable with imprisonment.
He said that the commission had arrested some SIM cards vendors in Abuja, Akure, Ido-Ekiti, Ibadan and Oshogbo allegedly selling pre-registered SIM cards.
Muoka said that the commission was strengthening its enforcement unit to ensure that no culprit was spared.
“And we are going around the country to ensure that this nefarious activity is nip to the board.
“It is a major issue because it is also not good for the SIM registration exercise that the commission has successfully carried out.
“And soon we will bring all the people involved to book but we have sent out warnings. We are going to start with some jingles.
“Such that even operators or anybody at all in the chain that contributes to pre-registration of SIM cards or usage of pre-registered SIM cards or sales of pre-registered SIM cards or any that facilitates pre-registration and use of SIM cards without proper registration will be dealt with.’’
He said that the commission had discovered that some SIM cards vendors connived with some service providers to perpetrate the illegal activity.
‘’These vendors go the street and sell these registered SIM cards and non-registered ones at different prices to the people.
‘’This act was fraudulent and will not be tolerated by the commission.’’
According to him, pre-registered SIM cards are SIM cards that people registered by prosy, adding that the service providers whose lines are used for such activities are also liable.
Muoka warned that the commission would not hesitate to deal with any erring operator engaged in such illegal activity.
According to him, SIM registration is guided by a particular regulation apart from the NCC Act 2003, adding that this regulation guides the functions and operations of the commission with penalty.
He warned Nigerians against buying active lines, adding that the buyers were as guilty as the sellers.
According to Muoka, the person on whose data the SIM is registered will be at more risk, adding that if the SIM is used to commit a crime, such individual would also be liable.