Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), claims that his organization’s members are not attempting to thwart the August 1 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations by blocking subscribers’ connections or limiting their access to the internet.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Even after completing the NIN-SIM linkage, several subscribers have had their telecoms blocking their lines.
Subscribers then began to complain that the telecoms were attempting to impede the planned demonstration by limiting citizens’ access to the internet.
Adebayo stated on Sunday night that it was only a coincidence that the telecom firms’ line blocking occurred at the same time as many Nigerians were getting ready for the August 1st demonstration.
In his words, “I have received enquiries about this issue. No organisation or association is barring lines because of the proposed protest. It is coincidental that the barring of lines is coming at a time a protest is being planned. We have no hand at all in what is going on about the protest.
“Telecommunications companies are service providers and provide service on non-discriminatory. Our hands are clean. Go to your network service provider, and your issue will be addressed.”
In a same vein, the National Association of Telecom Subscribers President Adeolu Ogunbanjo stated that no one or any group was intended to be irritated by the blocking of lines.
A recent announcement regarding the matter was made, according to Mr. Ogunbanjo, but many subscribers chose not to follow it.
“The number of NINs that are not properly done is alarming, and when you ask the affected persons, they will say I went to a kiosk somewhere or something similar to do my NIN registration.
“Many do not use their real names. Some go to fake centres to do their NIN registration. The bottom line is that proper registration was not done. I implore everybody to do the needful and go to recognised NIN centres,” Mr Ogunbanjo said.