The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday lamented that in spite of enlightenment efforts, some customers still deal in unregistered SIM cards.
Mr Sunday Dare, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management , NCC, said during a North East regional sensitisation workshop in Gombe that Nigerians must appreciate the dangers associated with fraudulently activated SIM cards.
“As we all know, the objective of subscribers’ registration is basically to assist in easy identification of mobile telephone users and detection of crimes committed through the use of mobile phones, hence the need for proper registration.
“The availability of improperly registered SIM in any corner of Nigeria, is a threat to the security of all,” he warned, adding that those who use such SIMs contribute to the insecurity in the nation.
He said the Commission had carried out enforcement activities throughout the country and registration agents had been arrested while registration machines and fully activated SIMs by agents were confiscated.
He said perpetrators of such act were prosecuted and fine had been imposed on them.
He said the workshop would address all these challenges and come out with solutions on how to tackle those issues.
In his speech, Director Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC. Mr Efosa Idehen, said sales of already registered SIM cards by agents to the public, was a crime.
He said mobile network operators and their agent must abide by the laws which prohibited the release of fully activated SIM into the market.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were drawn from the six states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Taraba states.