Lagos, March 4, 2024 – Olukoya Ogungbeje, a human rights advocate, has filed a suit against telecom companies for unlawfully barring of phone lines not linked to the National Identity Numbers (NINs) of their owners.
He is claiming N10 billion as damages for the restrictions placed on the phone lines.
The suit was filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.
The respondents to the suit are Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, the Chief Executive of NCC.
Other respondents are MTN Nigeria Communications, Airtel Networks Nigeria, Globacom, and Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services.
Ogungbeje filed the suit by Originating Motion brought under Sections 36 and 56 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Order 11, Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009.
In his affidavit, Ogungbeje averred that sometime in January, the respondents had threatened to bar or deactivate the mobile lines of Nigerians whose phone lines were not linked with their National Identification Number (NIN).
He averred that following this threat, he had proceeded to court and had obtained an order on February 22 restraining the respondents from barring or deactivating the phone lines of Nigerians pending determination of the suit.
Ogungbele said, to his amazement, he discovered that on Feb. 28, his mobile lines as well as those of many Nigerians were barred by the respondents in defiance to a subsisting court order.
He is seeking a declaration that the act was wrongful and illegal in spite of a subsisting court order.
He is also seeking a declaration that the respondents being creations of the law, are subject to the court of law and its judicial powers and are under an obligation to obey same.
He is also seeking an order to set aside the entire directives barring phone lines whose SIMs were not linked to NIN of owners.
The applicant also wanted an order directing the respondents to immediately unlock and unbar the phone lines of the affected Nigerians.
He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from taking further steps or action against such affected Nigerians.
No date has been fixed for the hearing. (GBN)
