Aggrieved subscribers have besieged MTN offices across the country to express frustration and disappointment over the telecom company’s blocking of phone numbers.
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MTN barred the mobile lines of several users on Sunday, allegedly for failing to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) with their mobile phone numbers.
Our correspondent learnt it was a reaction to the directive of the Nigeria Communications Commission to disconnect Subscriber Identity Module numbers (telephone lines) not linked to the National Identification Numbers, which was scheduled to take effect on July 31, 2024.
As of the time of filing this report, the telecoms firm was yet to issue an official statement on the controversy. It is unclear how many mobile phone numbers were affected.
Some of the subscribers, in the early hours of Monday, July 29, 2024, arrived at the MTN offices with long queues formed at the entrances.
The latest deadline was extended from April 15, 2024, to July 31.
However, most subscribers say their lines have been blocked even though they have successfully linked their SIMs with their NINs.
On February 29, NCC said 45 million subscribers would be barred for not implementing the linkage.
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