The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has blocked about 2.224 million improperly registered SIM cards from telecom services.
Earlier, the Federal Government had given the NCC up to last Wednesday to cut off all SIM cards not properly registered by their owners from telecom networks.
The Minister of Communications, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami gave the directive in Abuja, after he inaugurated the newly constituted NCC board two weeks ago.
Pantami observed that it was the federal government’s hope that the spate of kidnapping and banditry would be drastically reduced if all the unregistered SIM cards being used by criminals were blocked.
Meanwhile, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Henry Nkemadu confirmed that all the improperly registered SIMS had been deactivated from telecom networks.
Also the Chairman of the Association of Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, said the operators were not responsible for the issue as they complied with NCC’s rule on SIM registration.
