ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned dealers/agents to desist forthwith from the practice of pre-registering SIM Cards and selling same in the open market.
This warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Tony Ojobo, the Director of Public Affairs of the NCC.
Ojobo said it had come to the notice of NCC that in spite of regulations and directives against the sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards, operators, through their dealers/agents, still sold pre-registered SIM cards in the country.
He said: “We wish to reiterate and draw attention to the following provisions: Sections 19 and 20 of the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers) Regulations, 2011 states that:
“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 for each subscription medium.
“19 (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 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 for each unregistered but activated subscription medium.
“20(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 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.”
Ojobo said operators and their appointed dealers/agents had been warned 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.
He advised the public to stop buying pre-registered SIM cards and insists on being registered personally for any new SIM card purchased.
“All violators will face stiff sanctions as the NCC will enlist the assistance of law enforcement agencies to address and curb this menace,” he added.
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