NCC Warns against Buying Preregistered SIM Cards

The Deputy Director of Consumer Affairs (Protection Advocacy Group), National Telecommunications Commission (NCC), Mr. Bamiji Ojo, on Thursday warned Nigerians not to engage in buying preregistered SIM cards, saying the dangers inherent in it are enormous.

He also warned that anybody who uses preregistered SIM which had been used to commit crime would pay dearly for it if caught.

Ojo gave the warning at the 102nd edition of Consumer Outreach Programme (COP) with the theme: ‘Mitigating Effects of Cybercrimes: Roles of Telecoms Consumers’, held at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

While urging all and prospective subscribers to register their SIM cards before using them, he stated that with registration, the SIM has become that of the person who registered it which cannot be tampered with.

Ojo said: "Don't use preregistered SIM. Don't buy it. Someone might have used it to carry out crimes and return it. If you buy it and you're caught, you will be held responsible. Go and register your SIM. Nobody can use your SIM because your face and fingerprint are not the same with others."

He also allayed the fear that base stations and masts can cause ailments as well as kill those living closer to the facilities, saying: "Base stations don't kill. Without it, we can't communicate. Today, there have been some negative public perceptions and conceptions about telecoms consumers of electromagnetic radiation. It does not cause cancer.”

On his part, the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhaji Ismail Adedigba, said the commission understood the importance of  critical stakeholders in the industry.

He added that in line with the commission's mandate to continuously educate and enlighten the consumers on industry issues, the theme of the event was chosen to sanitise telecoms consumers on the rising wave of cybercrime in various forms; its dangers and the roles of the consumers in reducing impacts of cybercrimes.

Also, the Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, who was represented by Alhaji Bashir Idris, said: "The commission is committed to using its various outreach programmes to embark on a series of awareness campaigns with a view to keeping consumers abreast of the risks associated with being online, enlightening them on safety measures to be taken once they use connected devices as simple as feature phone, smartphone and other more sophisticated internet-enabled devices.

"As the telecommunications industry regulator, we ensure that we jointly address contemporary issues generating interest in the industry; use the forum as a feedback mechanism in making regulatory interventions, where necessary for the benefit of the consumers."

On the essence of the programme, Idris, who disclosed that the event was being held in major cities across the country on a rotational basis, said: "The programme brings together telecoms consumers with the network operators and the regulator (NCC) to identify, discuss and jointly proffer effective solutions to different issues affecting telecoms consumers in the country."