On Tuesday, phone companies blocked a number of phone lines linked to national identity numbers, as the government-mandated enforcement targeting those not yet connecting their lines to NIN started on a chaotic note.
Subscribers shared their frustration offline and online about how they found they couldn’t make calls despite connecting their phone numbers to their National Identity Numbers, NINs. Some who had not connected continued to make calls.
After repeated deadline extensions, the federal government on Monday ordered telcos to ban calls to lines not yet linked to NINs. The government has said the measure will improve security, but critics say the lack of policy may prevent authorities from using the measure to go after terrorists, kidnappers and bandits.
Some subscribers who claimed to have linked their phone numbers said they had been unable to make calls since early Tuesday morning.
“I do not understand this. Why restrict my line when I linked it to NIN over a year ago? Who is responsible for this? Who bears the brunt for dereliction of duty? Why do we have to go through this mess in our country? Why?” wrote a Twitter user, IG Onyekach.
“Hello, I have linked my NIN with my glo sim a long time ago and I still can’t make calls from morning until now. Kindly help me to rectify this pleasesaid another.
The federal government issued a directive to carriers to disconnect phone numbers that have yet to link their NIN on April 4.
The directive came after the government extended the deadline for the 10th time on March 31. Registration began in December 2020.
Carriers have sent messages to customers notifying them that the directive will take effect immediately.
“Hello! Following the directive to ban SIMs not linked to NIN. Your line has been prohibited from making outgoing calls and sending SMS. To reconnect, dial *785# to link your NIN. To sign up for NIN, visit any MTN store,” read a message from MTN.
“Dear customer, due to the NIN breach, your line is unable to make calls as directed by the federal government. To continue enjoying the service, please submit your NIN by dialing *109# or call 109 now. Thank you for choosing Glo,” read a message from Glo.
authorities react
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Glo’s head of public relations, Toni Kan, said that the company was obeying the government’s directive.
“Just to be clear, so I don’t get misquoted. Glo hasn’t stopped anyone from making calls. We are, simply, like all telcos obeying a ministerial directive regarding untethered SIMs,” he said.
“No phone number that has been linked to a NIN will be blocked on the Glo network. If someone has been banned go to a Glo customer support center and it will be resolved,” she added.
MTN apologized affected customers, asking those who claimed their lines were blocked despite linking them to their NINs to submit their numbers for rectification.
Spokespersons for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ikechukwu Adinde, and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Kayode Adegoke, did not respond to messages and calls.
Another source (who asked not to be named) said the complaints were industry-wide complaints and will take a few days to resolve.