Some Nigerians on Twitter have slammed the latest directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission asking them to submit the identification number of their phones to it from July. The regulatory body made the revelation in its Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.
Nigerians on social media have been reacting to the latest move by the government, insisting that it was too much for the government to ask of citizens.
A Twitter user, Funmi @rusticfunmi tweeted “The tyrannical federal government of Nigeria has now demanded our IMEI numbers in order to identify and track us via our phones. This demand by the NCC is a violation of our privacy and is ILLEGAL.. our ‘supposed’ constitution stands against such intrusion on our privacy.”
Edward Bode @edwardbode said “This NIN I submitted was a mistake, I will never submit my IMEI to the government. We all deserve some privacy!!!!!”
Emeka Amakeze @EmekaAmakeze tweeted “Nigerians to submit their phone’s IMEI number.We know that anybody with your phone’s IMEI number can remotely render your phone useless, track it or use it for malicious purposes. What exactly does NCC want?”
Twitter user, @ezenibenonny wondered about the moral standing of government to even issue the directive, tweeting“ So, I will buy phone with my money and submit the IMEI to government that never cared about me. Buhari, I won’t do it.”
Taking a different perspective is Twitter user @royaltyuso, who believed that the directive will not be sustained. He tweeted, “No policy in Nigeria works. Everything will get an extension till it fails or gets abandoned. Can’t be bothered about IMEI submission.”
