MTN clarifies role in Oyinlola, Salami feud

MTN Nigeria has decried what it described as “inaccurate and biased reports in some newspapers yesterday, which alleged that its officials recanted their position on the ownership of two lines linked to the election dispute in Osun State.

“The matter has precipitated a series of spurious allegations against MTN by the PDP (Osun Chapter) and the politician and former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,” MTN said.

In a statement in Lagos, Corporate Services Executive, MTN, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, said the reports were a deliberate misrepresentation of the information given to the police by MTN officials in Abuja on Tuesday, July 24, 2012, in respect of a petition filed against the company by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

“We would like to state categorically that our officials did not recant earlier information given in respect of the ownership of the two phone lines for which details of ownership and call records were requested from MTN. We have provided consistent information to the authorities as contained in our records at every stage that the information has been requested.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we explained to the police that since the SIM registration exercise, the ownership of the lines for which information was requested has changed and we gave the police the most recent records of the individuals to which those lines are currently registered. We are not required by law to verify documents presented to us as proof of identity by those who register their SIMs. We do not have the expertise to do so.” he said.

He stated that the harmonisation exercise between the NCC’s SIM registration records and those of operators had not been concluded and as such information held by operators is technically incomplete.

He explained that it is for all the aforementioned reasons that any information given to authorised security organisations by MTN, all carry bold disclaimers, clearly stating that MTN cannot confirm the authenticity of the information provided.

Goodluck expressed disappointment that the details of statements given to the police “could be so easily obtained and then deliberately misrepresented in the public domain.”

Goodluck said the MTN officials who honoured the invitation of the police to provide further information and perspective on the matter did not make any statement that differed from their previous statements at all material times.

He said the company is apolitical and non-partisan, and as such has no reason to act in any unethical manner as being alleged by the politician. He noted that MTN had made strenuous effort to explain the processes and procedure of their business and the reasons why all customer information and records are routinely presented in a particular way.

“MTN is guided by strict corporate governance codes and we take grave exception to this continuous insinuation of unethical or improper conduct against us by the plaintiff. It can never be in our interest to misrepresent facts or falsify information. We have provided all the necessary records to the requisite security agencies in accordance with laid down procedure,” he said.