As part of measures to tackle criminal activities in the telecommunications industry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has partnered with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
A statement issued by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka explained that senior management staff of NSCDC in the South West Zone recently had an exclusive workshop organised by the commission.
The statement commended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sealed between the two government agencies, adding that
criminal activities such as telecom equipment vandalism and fraudulent registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, among others, were going to be looked into.
The statement quoted the Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, as saying the commission had over the years worked with relevant law enforcement agencies towards protecting the telecoms sector from all kinds of criminality.
“Through despicable activities that are criminal and totally at variance with national security concerns of government.
“The deviant elements in our midst have been acting to undermine efforts put in place to consolidate the gains of the sector.
“These criminal activities include theft and vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, the illegal use of fraudulently-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, operating without a license, illegal call masking and so on,” he said.
Danbatta said that the workshop was organised as part of an effort to constantly engage and update them on new trends and existing regulations.
Danbatta commended NSCDC and other agencies for carrying out raids and mopping up fraudulently-registered SIM cards found in circulation.
The EVC also lauded the agencies for raising the banner of awareness on the need to protect critical national telecoms infrastructure.
Danbatta, represented by Mr Ephraim Nwokonneya, Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, said the gathering was to explore the deployment of enabling laws, subsidiary legislations and extant guidelines to arrest criminality
