"Block Bandits Lines Instead of Nigerians": Shehu Sani Lambasts NCC, MTN, Glo, Airtel, Others

"Block Bandits Lines Instead of Nigerians": Shehu Sani Lambasts NCC, MTN, Glo, Airtel, Others

  • Former Kaduna senator and human rights activist Shehu Sani has criticized the NCC and the telecom companies in Nigeria, such as MTN, Glo and Airtel
  • The former lawmaker berated the telecom giants and their regular to support the security agencies in arresting kidnappers since phone numbers are linked to the NIN
  • Former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration compelled Nigerians to link their phone numbers with the NIN to fish out terrorists and kidnappers, but insecurity did not see an improvement

Shehu Sani, the former senator representing Kaduna Central in the eighth senate, has kicked against the directive of the National Communication Commission (NCC) ordering the telecom operators, including MTN, Glo, Airtel and others, to block users who are yet to link their national identification number (NIN) with their sim.

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The activist, in a tweet on Friday, March 1, said the NCC and the telecom operators have failed to block the sims of the bandits involved in kidnapping and communication with their victim families through phones to collect ransom.

Shehu Sani speaks on NCC ban/Shehu Sani on banditry in Northern Nigeria
Shehu Sani condemns the blocking of lines by NCC
Source: Twitter

The lawmaker said:

"The NCC and the Telecom operators know how to quickly block SIM cards; the ones they are yet to know how to quickly block are those used by Bandits to collect ransom."

See the tweet here:

The NCC had directed the telecommunication companies to their subscribers who failed to link their phone numbers with their NIN.

Is NIN working in Nigeria?

The initiation started with former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration with the aim of tracing terrorists and bandits who demanded ransom from their hostages.

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However, the initiative appeared ineffective following the Buhari government's deadline, and the bandits' activities skyrocketed after that. Innocents Nigerians were being kidnapped, millions of ransom were paid, and there seemed to be no trace of the culprits, The Punch said in a report.

Issuing another deadline for blocking phone numbers without users, Shehu Sani wonders why the move has failed to secure the arrest of bandits and other criminal elements using phone numbers in Nigeria.

Insecurity: Shehu Sani commends Tinubu

Legit.ng earlier reported President Bola Tinubu's effort in the fight against insecurity has been rated to be better than that of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

In his analysis, Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker in the eight Senate, claimed the Buhari administration ran the CBN as if it were under the government of Idi Amin.

The former senator noted that what the army, police and other security agencies were doing under Tinubu was far better than what happened under Buhari.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
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Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with 7 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm. He has obtained certificates in Google's Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Legit’s Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023). Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng