SIM registration lands telecoms agents in trouble

Officials of the Nigerian Communication Commission have arrested some agents of telecommunications companies who engage in fraudulent registration of SIM cards in Ekiti State.

 The Head of Enforcement of NCC, Mr. Efosa Idehen, who led officials of the commission to Ado-Ekiti on 

 Friday told journalists that they would do everything to stop the sale of pre-registered SIM cards in the country.

He explained that pre-registered SIM cards had biometric identities before being sold to different people.

Selling pre-registered SIM cards, according to the NCC, defeats the purpose of the commission’s regulation that all SIM cards must be registered in order to know the identities of each subscriber.

Idehen said the use of unregulated mobile lines had contributed to increase in crime rate.

The NCC boss said two machines used in the illegal registration of SIM cards were traced to the state.

Also, a friendship centre, accused of using its machines for illegal registration of SIM cards was sealed off in order to serve as deterrent to others engaged in similar acts.

Idehen said, “Selling pre-registered SIM cards aids crime and real criminals might never be arrested because their identities will not be known.  During an investigation, those whose identities were used to register the SIM cards would be arrested instead of the real culprits.”