Sale, use of pre-registered SIM cards illegal, says NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable in the sale or use of pre-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards in the country.

The NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, who gave the warning in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that the commission’s position was in line with the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003; and the commission’s registration of telephone subscribers’ regulations of 2011.

The statement read: “In a recent monitoring and enforcement exercise by the commission, some suspects were arrested, handed over to the law enforcement agencies, prosecuted, and have been convicted.

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“The Nigerian Communications Commission wishes to reiterate that both the sale and use of fraudulently registered SIM cards are illegal.

“The commission has also taken note of reports indicating that the illegal acts are perpetrated to commit or aid the commission of other criminal acts such as armed robbery, kidnapping, financial fraud, terrorism, and sundry offences.

“It is, therefore, important that members of the public take note that the laws, subsidiary legislations, and guidelines guiding SIM card registration in Nigeria are still in force and forbid anyone from indulging in any activity relating to the sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards in Nigeria.”