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NIN-SIM Linkage: Subscribers Complain Of Barred Phone Lines

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Some telecommunications subscribers on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the barring of their lines by telcos despite having linked their National Identification Numbers with their SIM cards.

The subscribers expressed their displeasure in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

NAN reports that telecommunications (Telcos) operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, among others, had been directed by their regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to implement full network barring on all phone lines which subscribers had not submitted their NINs and those without verified NINs by February 28, 2024.

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The NCC said further that NINs that had been submitted but not verified, such lines were to be barred on or before March 29, 2024, the same as in cases where five or more lines are linked to an unverified NIN.

Similarly, where less than five lines are linked to an unverified NIN, such lines are to be barred on or before April 15, 2024.

In a visit by NAN in Lagos on Tuesday evening to some of the telcos customer service centres, subscribers were complaining about barred lines at all the telcos outlets, but more at the MTN outlets.

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The subscribers were displeased that their lines had been barred from making calls even before the February 28 deadline.

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Some of them insisted that they had already linked their NINs to their SIM cards as directed by the NCC, so they were surprised that their lines were still barred.

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A businessman, Mr. Marcel Okoh, said that a message was sent to his MTN line at the weekend, which he did not take seriously because he had done his NIN-SIM linkage.

Okoh said that two days after the message was sent, he noticed that his SIM had been disconnected, and he could no longer recharge or make calls with his phone.

“The disconnection is uncalled for because I have done what is needed, and I should have been given time to make enquiries.”

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Similarly, a Fashion Designer, Aisha Alao, who also uses an MTN line, said that she was disconnected by the telco without any notice.

Alao said that it was when she got to one of the MTN outlets that the agents explained to her that she needed to do a NIN-SIM linkage.

Also speaking with NAN, a retired Teacher, Mrs Veronica Maduabunechukwu, said that a disconnection notice was sent to her by Airtel despite having done her NIN-SIM linkage.

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The line has not been disconnected, and I see no reason why it should be barred.”

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Another MTN subscriber, Mrs Chinenye Agbanusi, said that she had done her NIN-SIM linkage as far back as 2020.

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Agbanusi said that she was not pleased with MTN for barring her line after following due process.

She added that Telco should upgrade its systems to avoid recurring issues of barring customers who had already done what was needed.

A Globacom subscriber, Miss Kanyinsola Oje, said that a notice to link her SIM to NIN to avoid disconnection was also sent to her.

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She noted that some days after the notice, her line was barred.

However, during the survey, Miss Nkechi, an Agent in one of the Airtel outlets in Ketu, said that subscribers had been coming to the centre to make complaints about their SIM being disconnected.

READ ALSO: NNPCL To Hand Over Port Harcourt Refinery To Private Operators

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Similarly, Olumide, a Globacom Agent in Ketu, also confirmed that subscribers had been coming to the outlet to make complaints about their lines being barred since December 2023.

According to him, most of the subscribers insisted that they had done the NIN-SIM linkage before, but were currently having issues.

Olumide said, “The reason for the disconnection could be that the name the subscriber used in registering for their NIN is different from what they used to register their SIM.

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“Another issue could be that the line was reassigned to another subscriber, so the name on the SIM could still be the name of the previous owner.”

Reacting to the subscribers’ complaints, Mr Funsho Aina, the Senior Manager, External relations, MTN, said that most of the lines that were barred were because no data were found on the lines.

Aina said that it was possible that these subscribers had done the NIN-SIM linkage, but the data filed for NIN might not be the same as what they registered for their SIM.

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He said that a discrepancy in data filed for NIN and for SIM could affect its collation.

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“Take, for instance, I register my SIM with Funsho, and in registering for the NIN, I use Olufunsho, which is also my name.

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“Even if I do the NIN-SIM linkage, in collating by the telco, the technology might not be able to link the names to one person and the line would be disconnected until the discrepancy is corrected,” he said.

Aina, however, said to correct such discrepancies and be reconnected, there were self-help steps that could be taken.

He urged subscribers to go to the portal: https://nin.mtn.ng/nin to create a Virtual NIN (VNIN).

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“You can also dial *996*3# on your mobile phone.

“Select option three for Virtual NIN, Enter your NIN to proceed, then enter ‘109071’ as your Enterprise ID.

“Or alternatively, dial *346*3*your 11-digit NIN*109071# to create a VNIN,” Aina said.

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The MTN official also explained that it seemed as if MTN subscribers were more affected because MTN had a larger number of subscribers than the other telcos.

NAN

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Bauchi Govt Sanctions 4 Senior Officers For Gross Misconduct

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The Bauchi state Civil Service Commission (CSC) has sanctioned four senior officers for gross misconduct in the discharge of their service.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Friday by Mr Saleh Umar, the Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi state Civil Service Commission.

According to him, the decision, which was made during the Commission’s plenary session, was in its continued effort to sanitise the State’s Civil Service.

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He listed the names of the officers that were sanctioned to include; Garba Hussaini, a Director, Education and former Provost, Haruna Umar, a Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources.

READ ALSO:Bauchi Board Laments Low Teacher Turnouts In Training Exercise

Others included; Umar Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer (Account)- Bursar and Mohammed Usman, Chief Clerical Officer – Cashier, all attached to Bill and Melinda Gate College of Health Sciences Technology in Ningi Local Government Area of the state.

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Umar explained that the interdicted officers have been placed on 50 per cent of their salaries with effect from 28th October, 2025 until the end of the full investigation.

The Commission’s decision was taken to allow further investigation into the allegations laid against the officers.

“The Officers were found guilty of misconduct that contradict Bauchi State Public Service Regulations – 0327 (x) and (xxii) and interdicted under rules 0329 (i), (ii) and (iii) to further distance them from their duty posts for seamless and smooth investigation.

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“In a light-hearted part, the Commission has promoted 21 officers to their next grades of Deputy Chief Librarian, Assistant Chief Librarians and Principal Librarians to grade levels 15, 14, 13, 12 and 10 respectively.

“Others were Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Chief Confidential Secretary on grade levels 13 and 14,” said Umar.

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The Public Relations Officer added that Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad, the Chairman of the Commission, reiterated the Commission’s unwavering commitment to the rules of law under his watch.

He noted that while promising to continue to uphold integrity, transparency and fairness in the commission, the Chairman also expressed dismay over the nonchalant attitude of some Civil Servants not knowing the disciplinary procedures in civil service and its consequences.

Chairman also called on all workers to be conversant with the do and don’t in carrying out their assignments to avoid unnecessary offense,” he said.

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Don’t Take Law Into Your Hands – NYSC Warns Corps Members

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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned all corps members serving their fatherland not to take laws into their own hands during and after their service year.

Mr Umoren Kufre, the Bauchi state Coordinator of NYSC gave the warning during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘C’ stream 1 corps members at the state’s NYSC permanent orientation camp, Wailo in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Friday.

“I urge you to obey all the rules and regulations governing the NYSC. In case you notice any irregularity, do not take the laws into your hands.

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READ ALSO:NYSC Deploys 1,900 Corps Members To Bauchi State

“Always ensure that you follow the proper channel of communication to express your grievances.

“Let me assure you again that management will ensure that the basic amenities you need in the camp are provided for you. Your safety and comfort remains our utmost priority,” he said.

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Kofre, who explained that a total of 2,050 corps members were posted to the state for the one year compulsory service, said there has not been any serious problem since the commencement of the course and the prospective corps members were participating actively in all camp activities.

He appreciated Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state for his continuous support to the scheme in the state as well as the complete renovation of Corps Members hostels and the construction of a brand new Multipurpose Hall in the camp.

READ ALSO: PDP NWC Suspends Legal Adviser, Anyanwu, Others Amid Convention Crisis

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The NYSC boss, however, called on the governor to help them rebuild the part of the camp perimeter fence that collapsed about a year ago.

Declaring the orientation camp exercises open, Gov. Bala Mohammed urged the corp members to take the lead and advocate for national development and transformation.

Represented by Mr Mohammed Umar, the State’s Head of Service, Mohammed called on them to take the noble call with utmost seriousness and commit themselves to achieving the scheme’s objectives of national unity and development.

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While administering the oath of allegiance, Justice Rabi Umar, the Chief Judge of the state who was represented by Abdullahi Yau, Deputy Registrar, High Court of Justice, charged the corps members to maintain law and order towards the peaceful orientation exercises

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17 Nigerian States Implementing CPS As PenCom Assets Rise To Over N26trn

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The National Pension Commission hassaid only 17 Nigerian states are currently implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme as its assets rose to over N26 trillion in September 2025.

Ms Omolola Oloworaran disclosed this during an event in Benin, Edo State.

Oloworaran, who was represented by the Commission’s Inspectorate Commissioner, Chief Samuel Chigozie Uwandu, stressed that CPS plays a vital role in national economic development.

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According to her, CPS has evolved beyond a retirement policy and has become a symbol of a national shift towards financial discipline and long-term planning.

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Oloworaran noted that the scheme illustrates “a decisive break from past dependencies on state-provided old-age financial security to a new culture of retirement savings and forward planning.

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A contract between the worker and the employer, with the assurance that a lifetime of labour would be rewarded with financial security in old age.”

“Seventeen states out of the 36 states in the country are currently implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme. Twelve states have not started at all, while seven states are at various stages of establishing their pension bureaux.”

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