From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigerians are writhing from the pains of being barred from making calls from their mobile phones. Certainly, that is not what they bargained for.
This began 40 days ago, when the Federal Government wielded the big stick after a series of postponements. Efforts to have their lines unbarred have been unsuccessful for millions of Nigerians.
The challenge is two-fold; those who did not complete their NIN-SIM linkage and those who did but the system did not recognise the synchronisation and thus barred them.
Many Abuja residents appear to find themselves in the latter group currently wailing the loudest because they are wondering why they are suffering after they took pains to register for the NIN, then linked it with their SIM cards.
Visits to NIN registration centres in Abuja show beehive of activities. Frustrated subscribers flood the centres trying to rectify the challenge, while telecom agents and touts latched on to prey on hapless Nigerians.
To do a fresh NIN capture, agents charge as high as N4,000 for an exercise that is meant to be free. Many disconnected Nigerians told Daily Sun their experiences.
Gladys Kennedy, a Point of Sales (PoS) operator said her business line was barred despite linking her SIM with her NIN: “I woke up last week and discovered that I have been barred from making calls. I have done the linkage, yet my line was barred. I tried to link my SIM again using the self-service code but it kept giving me error feedback.
“I went to an NIN enrolment centre to complain only for them to say my NIN is invalid and I need to verify it. I was shocked because this is the same NIN I have been using for years. I was asked to return in a week. This was after spending days on the queue to go in. I still can›t reach my clients when I want to. It›s so horrible. I›m frustrated.”
Another victim is Chijioke Ulaka. He told Daily Sun: “I’m a thrift and credit society treasurer. I need to call and remind people to pay their contributions. But since my lines were barred, I can’t do that.
“This is unfair. My lines are linked. This country is hellish. I have gotten a new line for use in the meantime. It has really affected my business.”
Mabel Abah had her two lines barred despite having linked them before the deadline: “The thing is I linked my SIM during the coronavirus period. But my SIMs are still blocked. I can’t even communicate with my loved ones.
“This is very annoying. I can’t even call my bosses concerning my job. Now, I have lost my NIN. I was given a process on how to get my NIN back. You will have to go back to pay N500 and take your receipt to the NIN office. If you go to their office, to attend to you is a problem. So, I just gave up.
“We have dialled the normal code to link the NIN and retrieve my line, yet the line is still blocked. I even did the online submission, all to no avail.
“My sister suffered the same fate. She said when she has time she will go to their office to start the tortuous process.
“Even though it’s her main line, she hasn’t really been affected because she has another line. Also, coupled with the fact that she can receive calls she just can’t call back on that line.
“If it’s important, she calls the person back on the other line. She is fine with or without the line. I think that’s why she hasn’t even bothered to go and complain in their office.
“The only issue is the amount of time she spends convincing her customers that she is still the same person.
In all, it’s horrible, terrible experience. This is a federally flawed arrangement. People should be sacked for this. They cannot be paid salaries and wages for this disgusting failure.”