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Tensions are escalating as thousands of customers flocked to MTN offices nationwide on Monday, following a mass disconnection of telephone lines not linked to national identification numbers (NINs).
The disconnections, which began late Saturday, have affected customers across all major telecommunication companies in Nigeria, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and unrest.
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Large crowds have formed outside MTN offices in key cities including Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Osun, and Oyo. In Osogbo, MTN customers have initiated a mass protest, raising concerns about potential escalations in other states.
“My business is grounded”
A customer at the MTN office in Ikeja expressed frustration: “My MTN number simply went blank since Saturday night, and my business is grounded.” Another customer, who claimed to have linked his lines with NIN multiple times, demanded an explanation from the company.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), many customers allege that their lines are being randomly disconnected, attributing the issue to inefficiencies in the linking process managed by the company. Some customers suspect that the telcos are using these disconnections as a tactic to undermine the upcoming August 1, 2024, Hunger Protest against economic hardship.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), expressed concern that telecommunications companies might be attempting to stifle the protest.
Disconnections in compliance with deadline
However, a senior MTN official in Lagos refuted these claims, stating that the disconnections are part of an effort to comply with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) deadline. The NCC had set a deadline of July 31 for all subscribers to link their NINs to their phone lines, an extension from the previous deadline of April 15, 2024.
A security expert has suggested that the NCC consider further extending the deadline, given the heightened tensions and the potential for unrest related to the national Hunger Protest. “This is not the time to carry out such an exercise. This week is already pregnant with tensions,” he remarked.
