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The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has stated that there are no improperly registered subscriber identity modules (SIMs) on networks in the country after 9.2 million SIMs were blocked in September 2019.
But should there be proven cases of unregistered SIMs, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said offending network operators will be sanctioned.
The ministry spoke in reaction to alleged summon by the Senate concerning the rising incidents of kidnapping and other crimes linked with unregistered SIMs.
“Dr Pantami awaits the official invitation and would like to sincerely thank the Distinguished Senators for their concern and support towards improving national security,” the ministry expressed in a statement issued in Abuja this week by Dr Femi Adeluyi, the Technical Assistant (IT) to the minister.
The minister “has supported security agencies in their statutory duty of protecting lives and property and this is why his first action after his appointment was to issue a directive that no improperly registered subscriber identification module (SIM) be allowed to remain on our networks. Based on the report submitted by the regulator (Nigerian Communications Commission) on the 26th of September 2019, there is currently no improperly registered SIM on our networks.
“In the event of evidence to the contrary, the Honourable Minister will sanction any individual or institution found wanting,” the statement added.
The statement further reads:
“Dr Pantami wrote to all security agencies on the 14th of October 2019 asking them to collaborate with the Ministry by contacting us whenever a crime has been aided and abetted through the use of telecommunication devices. No request by security agencies for assistance in the identification of owners of SIMs used for crime has gone untreated in his office.
“The Honourable Minister also submitted a detailed memorandum to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Nigerian Security Challenges on the 12th of February 2020. It contained details on policies developed by the Ministry to enhance security.
“In a similar vein, the Honourable Minister has directed the NCC to ensure that they put modalities in place to tie the National Identify Number (NIN) to SIMs, as well as see to it that no unregistered SIMs are sold. He has also directed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to significantly scale up the number of monthly NIN registrations.
“Moreover, Dr Pantami recently presented a Draft National Policy on Digital Identity for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which took place on the 11th of November, 2020. The memo was approved and will support in the provision of Digital IDs for Nigerians, thus assisting in the implementation of the Policy to tie NINs to SIMs.”
