Thousands of Nigerians have besieged telecommunication stores across the country, seeking to resolve issues with their barred lines, despite earlier linking their National Identification Numbers (NIN) to their SIMs.
The sudden barring of lines by MTN, Glo, Airtel, and others has left many subscribers frustrated, with some claiming they had already linked their NINs.
“I had to go to their office after church. It’s not yet rectified. I just got home. I can only call and receive on WhatsApp using wifi,” said Nike Benson, an affected subscriber.
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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had directed telecom operators to bar unlinked SIMs, citing national security concerns.
However, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has denied claims that the barring is connected to the planned August 1 protest.
ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, stated, “No organisation or association is barring lines because of the proposed protest. It is coincidental that the barring of lines is coming at a time a protest is being planned.”
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MTN Nigeria has advised affected subscribers to unblock their SIMs online or visit their offices, which are open seven days a week.
The NCC’s move is targeted towards clean up the country’s SIM ownership database, but subscribers are feeling the heat.
As one subscriber, Shina, lamented, “I just heard a voice prompt that informed me that my line has been barred because I failed to link my NIN to my line.”
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