I know few Nigerians who would rather buy preregistered SIM cards than going through the few hours of registering a new SIM card and waiting for it to be activated. This act must stop though, or you risk being imprisoned.

The Nigerian Communications Commission yesterday warned telecommunication subscribers against buying preregistered Subscriber Identification Module cards.

The Acting Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umaru Danbatta, who spoke at the ongoing Abuja International Trade Fair, said selling, buying and using preregistered SIM cards was punishable by imprisonment.

The NCC boss, who was represented at the event by the Assistant Director, Public Relations, Mr. Reuben Muoka, said the use of preregistered SIM cards by criminal elements to perpetuate crimes in the country was unacceptable.

Danbatta said, “We must speak to you about the issue of preregistered SIM cards. This is where criminally-minded people have utilised other peoples’ identities or fraudulent information to register and distribute SIM cards that are bought by innocent subscribers and criminally-minded ones for the purpose of committing fraud without being traced as the number they use do not bear their identities.

“We request you to avoid buying or distributing preregistered SIM cards as this is a criminal act punishable by imprisonment. Anybody involved in the sale, distribution or use of preregistered SIM card is considered a threat to national security, and if caught, will face the ugly consequences.

“The service providers have already been directed to disconnect any of these cards as no active SIM card is expected to be functional after 48 hours on the network.”

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