Security Concerns: NSA to Take Over MTN N1tr Fine Case

Indications emerged on Thursday that the office of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President may delve into the $5.2billion (N1billion equivalent) fine issue against MTN from by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) because of the security implications.

This is coming as the NCC handed a November 16 deadline to MTN Nigeria to pay the penalty or risk more severe sanctions, which may include suspension of license.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that the office of the NSA may have been moved by the concerns raised at the floor of by member of the House of Representatives and the call to investigate the matter.

A source at the National Assembly said that “The matter is not one of witch-hunt as perceived in some quarters, rather the national security is paramount. Nobody is saying MTN should not do business, but no company is above the law. The Honourable members of the House of Representatives are resolute on the matter and might incorporate the office of the NSA to take up the case and justice will be done as soon as possible”

Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs at NCC could not give more details on the matter as at press time.

But the NCC said that the quest to de-activate pre-registered Subscribers Identification Modules, SIM, cards of mobile network operators in Nigeria was a guard against threats to the nation’s security.

The Commission, on August 20, 2015, while announcing the blocking of about 10.7 million telephone lines warned telecom operators to adhere strictly to instructions by deactivating SIM cards with defective registration that weeks.

Mr. Efosa Idehen, NCC head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, then at NCC Lagos office after a monitoring exercise, said that as at September 2014 when the data base was scrubbed, various numbers were sent to the operators for re-validation.

He recalled that 18.6 million numbers were sent to MTN while Airtel got 7.49 million numbers for re-validation with Glo and Etisalat networks received 2.3 million numbers and 10.46 million numbers, respectively.

He explained that during a visit by NCC to MTN, earlier in August 2015, they found out that the telco hadn’t adhered with the directive while Airtel, Glo and Etisalat networks, achieved partial compliance, as only 2.3 million, 3.5 million and 3.3 million lines, were barred, respectively.

Also, during the week, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to investigate the Nigeria Communications and four service providers over alleged non-compliance with the directive to deactivate unregistered subscribers under the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

The four service providers to be investigated are MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat. The House passed the resolution after adopting a motion by Rep Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun).

The House said that despite the directive to service providers to register all subscribers on their networks, the four service providers are yet to do such.

Giving the breakdown of subscribers not captured by the four service providers as at December, 2014, Rep Oke said MTN had 18.6 million, Etisalat, 9.46 million, Airtel, 7.4 million and Glo, 2.33 million.