There is uproar among Nigerians over the reported move by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) requiring them to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IME) of their phones and other smart devices to it from July.
The NCC, according to PUNCH, said this in the commission’s Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.
The IMEI is a unique identification or serial number that all mobile phones and smartphones have. It is normally 15 digits long. The IMEI number can be found on the silver sticker on the back of your phone, under the battery pack, or on the box your phone came in.
“Accordingly, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed that the Device Management System should be implemented within three months.
“With the aim to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices, one of the means to achieve this is through the deployment of Device Management System.
“The implementation of a Centralised Equipment Identity Register otherwise known as Device Management System will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity and owners of such devices,” PUNCH reported.
Nigerians have been voicing their opposition to the move on social media, saying the policy will only be used by the government to spy on the citizens in contravention of the provisions of the constitution.
