SIM Fraud: NCC Confiscates Machines, Arrests Four Suspects

SECURITY Operatives and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) at the weekend arrested four suspects involved in fraudulent registration and sale of pre-registered SIM Cards in Abuja.

The commission also confiscated two SIM card registration machines, belonging to one of the leading GSM operators being used for illegal registration.

The team from the enforcement Unit of NCC in company of the Nigerian Police had raided the premises of Correspondence Nig Ltd, Connect Ground and Glovic Communications, all located in Wuse District, after which one arrest was made while others were asked to produce their sub-trade partners who were given the machines for SIM registration.

Yesterday afternoon, when the team returned to the office of Glovic Communications, the chairman of the company said he lured the suspects to his office by telling them that they won some prizes, adding that the suspects who were still in his office when the enforcement team arrived, ran away on getting a hint on their offence and possible arrest.

The NCC enforcement team, however, sealed off the office and told the chairman that it could only be unsealed after the suspects have been produced.

At about 2.30pm yesterday, the team was alerted that the suspects had reappeared. The enforcement officials subsequently picked up the suspects for interrogation.

Speaking to journalists, Head of Media and Public Affairs of the commission, Mr. Reuben Muoka, said the commission is going after those who supplied the Pre-registered SIM cards to people hawking them on the street.

He noted that NCC has identified some machines being used for the illegal registrations, adding that it is against the law to sell pre-registered SIM cards.

Also speaking, NCC Head of Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, said, “We’ve been informing Nigerians about the illegality of buying pre-registered SIM. The identities of those who register them are not shown in the SIM card. In the past, we went after those hawking the SIM on the streets, now we are on the next phase; we are going after the chain that supply these machines.”