NCC advises Nigerians to ignore rumours of phone-induced death

Following rumour making the round that 10 people died in Wukari while receiving calls from a phone number, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has advised Nigerians to ignore such rumours.

The commission in a statement yesterday by Mr. Reuben Muoka, Head, Media and Public Relations said the claim is false and without any iota of truth, and that nothing like that could happen to somebody responding to a phone, no matter the number through which such calls are made.

Mr. Muoka described the rumour as the handiwork of some unscrupulous elements to instill fear in the minds of the public.

“Technically, it is not possible for such a thing to happen because even the voice that you receive at the other end of the phone undergoes many conversions. It is therefore unimaginable that somebody will die while receiving a call. It is only very gullible people that will believe such a rumour”, he said.

Mr. Muoka also explained that all calls to phone users pass through the switch of network operators where it is processed and identified for billing purposes and that no operator has issued this particular number to any user.

“In so far as this number is not issued by an operator, there is no way such a phone number will be able to call anybody in any of the networks,” he posited.

He said that he has personally placed a call to the said number and it showed it is not a valid number, and therefore, will not be able to make or receive calls.

Mr. Muoka said the need to nip this kind of rumour to the board, justifies the rationale for ongoing SIM Card registration exercise in the country which will ensure that all phone users will be identified with their fingerprints and digital photographs.

He urged subscribers to go about their normal businesses and ensure that they all register their SIM cards with either their service providers or NCC appointed agents before the end of the programme by month end.

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-By EMMANUEL EBELEKE 

Source: Vanguard