Court convicts 7 SIM card registration offenders

The commitment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to stop the use of unregistered SIM cards to perpetrate cybercrime and other criminal activities in the country is yielding results.

The Commission, through concerted enforcement efforts with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), as well as the Department of State Services (DSS), has secured court convictions for SIM card related offences.

The seven convicts were all charged and convicted at the Grade 1 Area Court Nyanya, Abuja and the Senior Magistrate Court, Kano for offences bordering on violation of SIM registration laws in the country on September 4, 2020 and September 24 respectively.

According to the Commission, the offenders, Bako Joseph Boy, Umar Kabiru Abdullahi, Lawal Sani, Shamsuddin Aliyu, George Eze, Ayuba Ishak, and Kabiru Ali were convicted for various SIM card related offences.

Specifically, the first convict Bako Joseph Boy was charged with the sale of SIM cards outside controlled environment, while the other six were arraigned on the charge of the sale of fraudulently registered SIM cards, NCC said in a press statement signed by Ikechukwu Adinde, it’s director of public affairs in Sunday.

“The offences were contrary to section 517 of the Criminal Code Act; Section 65 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and Section 65 (2) of the NCC Act, 2003 and punishable under the same Act.

“The suspects, who pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them were subsequently convicted as charged and sentenced to two months imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N15,000 and six months imprisonment or the option of fine in the sum of N20,000,” NCC said.

The Commission explained that the arrest of the suspects followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NCC, NSCDC and DSS to strengthen inter-agency collaboration towards curbing the criminal act of registering and selling of pre-registered SIM cards in the country.

Nigerian authorities have reiterated that the use of pre-registered SIM cards gives cover for unwholesome activities like kidnapping, call masking, threat to lives, bullying, armed robbery, identity theft financial crimes and SIM swap fraud, among others.

“The general public is encouraged to stop the sale, purchase and use of pre-registered SIM cards as it constitutes a punishable offence under the law,” the telecoms regulator counseled.