’ Requesting Nigerians IMEI illegal’, says SERAP
The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has said that subscribers are not required to submit their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers for now.
Recall that according to earlier reports, the NCC was said to have declared that Nigerians will have to submit the IMEI of their phones to it as from July.
The Director of Public Affairs of the NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, clarified this in a statement, saying, At no time did the Commission issue a statement regarding the registration of IMEI by subscribers and it has no plans to do so.
The general public is advised to disregard the said publications, which have created the erroneous impression that telephone subscribers will be required to register their IMEI with their networks, it further stated.
The NCC added that the Commission is in the process of deploying a Device Management System to protect subscribers against phone theft and other sundry offences associated with mobile telecommunications.
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has kicked against the NCC directive.
SERAP described it as illegal, adding that it amounts to mass surveillance which is contrary to the 1999 Constitution.
It urged President Buhari to direct the Commission to immediately withdraw what it called ‘the illegal directive’.
