Barred SIMs Telecom Protests
Telecommunications companies have denied allegations of planning to disrupt the #endbadgovernance protests scheduled nationwide from August 1-10, 2024.
They asserted that their obligation to provide continuous service, as per their social and economic commitments, prevents them from engaging in such actions.
These rebuttals follow accusations by prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who claimed that telecom companies are trying to obstruct the protest. Adegboruwa issued a statement yesterday, highlighting a rise in network issues complaints as the protest date nears.
The statement noted, “In recent days, some telecom companies have been disconnecting their subscribers for flimsy or unjustifiable reasons. Complaints include issues like unregistered or unlinked NINs, with some companies not providing any reason at all. This is occurring amid the people’s struggle against hunger, poverty, and the harsh economic policies of the Tinubu administration. It seems that the telecom companies’ underlying goal is to limit their customers’ reach and thus impede the protests.”
“The contract between telecommunication companies and their subscribers remain sacrosanct and should not be tampered with arbitrarily.
“Sufficient information and opportunity should be given for subscribers to remedy any alleged breach or error.
“So many telephone users deploy their numbers for their businesses and other lawful engagements, not to talk of those who may have medical and health-related emergencies. The NCC is urged to look into this and come to the rescue of subscribers.”
In response, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, dismissed the allegations as absurd.
Barred SIMs Telecom Protests
He remarked, “This is the funniest allegation anybody can make. We are in a social and economic contract with the people to provide services which is critical to their lives, at all times. That contract will not allow us to do such a thing.
“Besides, what is the motive for which we can even assume such a heinous act? Both those for and against the protest are our subscribers, so if we try to frustrate it, whose interest will we be serving.
“We are apolitical by nature and will remain so. We have no business to interfere with the political beliefs of our subscribers. So, in all intent and purposes, we have no intention to interfere in whatever way with the protest.”
He continued, “The deadline for SIM-NIN linkage for subscribers who have not done so, is this month end and networks have started barring such subscribers after sufficient and repeated warnings have been passed. It will be unfair to attribute such disruptions to telcos interfering with the protest.”
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