NEWS
Court stops Telecoms from disabling subscribers’ lines due to NIN
The Federal High Court in Lagos has instructed telecom operators nationwide not to deactivate or block any phone line or SIM card of users who have not linked them to their National Identification Number, NIN.
When ruling on an application for restraining orders by rights activist Olukoya Ogungbeje, trial judge Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa prohibited telecom operators from taking action on February 22, 2024.
Ogungbeje filed a lawsuit against the federal government, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, and Airtel Networks Nigeria Limited.
The individual asked the court to issue an injunction while the appeal is pending. This injunction would prevent all respondents from enforcing the judgment or restricting SIM cards and phone lines, even those owned by Nigerian citizens without NIN linkage.
Ogungbeje provided 10 reasons for filing the application. One of the grounds mentioned was that in April 2022, the appellant/applicant initiated a lawsuit against the respondents. The lawsuit aimed to challenge the respondents’ actions that were seen as undermining the court’s judicial powers and the Nigerian legal system, consequently violating the applicant’s fundamental rights.
“That this court, in a well-considered judgment delivered on May 8, 2023, dismissed the appellant/applicant’s suit.
“That the appellant/applicant, being dissatisfied with the judgment, has exercised his constitutional right of appeal by lodging a notice of appeal against the judgment of this Honourable court on July 26, 2023, by the lower court.
“That the appellant/applicant’s appeal is against the whole decision contained in the judgment of this court.”
