A cross section of Nigerians on twitter have kicked against a latest directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) urging Nigerians to provide the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their mobile phones to the commission.
In a Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration published by the Commission, the aim of the latest directive, is to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, among other reasons.
The IMEI number is a 15-digit number unique to each phone. With the IMEI number, a phone can be tracked and located.
However, the apparently irate tweeps who kicked against this new directive resolved not to submit their IMEI to the NCC for any reason saying that the government should track the bandits and other terrorists wreaking havoc across the country.
Here are some reactions culled from Twitter:
Duke of Ibadan (@_AsiwajuLerry): “It seems Nigerian Government’s aim is to strip its citizens of their entire privacy, “From linking NIN with SIM cards and now we have to submit our phone’s IMEI? I’ve made one mistake linking my NIN; I won’t repeat such thing again.”
Reno Omokri: “What moral right does NCC have to order Nigerians to submit their phone IDs to them when their boss, @DrIsaPantami, is a known terror sympathiser, who rejoices when non-Muslims are killed? Anyone who knowingly submits such details to a terror sympathiser is unwise!”
Read also: NCC Orders Nigerians To Submit Phones’ Tracking ID Numbers From July
@sholztalks: “What is this guy getting at? @DrIsaPantami there’s an allegation you are a terrorist and you are yet to clear yourself. You went ahead and demand to monitor us? You even want our imei? Like how? We have rights to our own privacy!”
@Shoyan33693159: “If only we had a Senate president…this won’t be happening…but u see this…data that Patami is warehousing…the Government weda.. Buhari or any other lacks the intergrity to hold these data down…is like building nuclear power plant…those spent water.will be left to flow”
@truthoofficial: “Isa Pantami have access to our NIN, now NCC is mandating Nigerians to submit IMEI of phones from July 2021. I hope FG won’t be mad if people don’t comply with this IMEI directives, because when people asked for the resignation of Isa Pantami for his extremism, FG didn’t comply.”
@Monnyx4: “The greatest mistake I made was linking my Sim and Nin together however they’ve failed….. It’s only a Mad Man that will release his MEI/UDID to Buhari Terrorist minsister Isa Pantami they’ve lost my trust completely…”
Elder Seun (@iamseunalaofin): “We did NIN (National Identification Number), we did BVN (Bank Verification Number), now they want us to drop our phone’s IMEI number. Very soon they would tell us to put Buhari’s portrait in our homes for one reason we don’t know yet. At this stage anyone that believes in this government needs Bigi Apple to get their senses back!”
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NEFERTITI (@firstladyship): “NCC said Nigerians must submit their phone IMEI from July, and it’s mandatory. Obadiah Mailafia already told us ‘they will move to Phase 2 by 2022.’ With your phone IMEI, they will track your whereabouts. And Isa Pantami has access to your NIN-SIM Registration information.”
Elvis Tunde (@Tundekvng): “I haven’t linked my NIN and I’m definitely not going to submit my IMEI to NCC and Isa Pantami. Patapata, I will relocate to Togo,”
@DanielRegha: “The govt has no right whatsoever to ask Nigerians for their phone IMEI cos according to Sect 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigerians have a “Right to private and family life” which means no Nigerian is obligated to release his or her phone IMEI.”
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