Barred Mobile lines: Anger as subscribers storm MTN offices

Telecommunication firms have began barring phone lines not linked with a National Identification Number (NIN) days before the Nigerian Communications Commission’s July 31, 2024 deadline.

Many Nigerians woke up to barred lines on Sunday and many took to their X handles to lament.

Many affected people said their lines were linked, and many shared screenshots of earlier SIM-NIN success messages.

Several social media users, thus began to complain that their lines had been barred, especially by MTN and Airtel.

TRIPLENET iMetrowatch took a tour round some telecom centres, and noticed that there were huge number of telecom users at several MTN outlets .

Some of the MTN users along the Mile 2, Ojo. Badagry axis who struggled to speak with TRIPLENET, said that they had been greeted by surprises from their mobile lines, with accompanying text messages from their service providers (MTN Niheria) notifying them of their inability to use their lines which had been barred.

Mr Opeseitan Labaran, a civil servant, who spoke with TNM said he had successfully linked his MTN line over a year ago, but was amazed to get such "rude awakening" from MTN .

"I don't know why MTN should do this to innocent citizens at this time; my line is an old line and I have linked it before, so why should they bar it

"This is just like a deliberate punishment to users, otherwise, I don't know what else it should be termed. ' he said

Mrs Itohan Momoh, a middle aged woman who works on an island shopping mall, said she was also surprised to notice that she could not send a call or text in the evening of Sunday July 28, 2024.

She had arrived the MTN Experience centre at Odofa, along the Lagos Badagry Expressway, with the hope of getting in straight to unblock her line.

She said she was however, disappointed when she saw the crowd of users numbering over 1,000, waiting outside, adding that she is therefore, compelled to proceed to work while she continues to bear the "pain" of non communication.

"With this crowd I see here, ah! when will it get to my turn? I will just go to work abeg" she said

73-year-old Pa Sheyin Eromosele, who spoke with TRIPLENET in his native dialect, interpreted by by-standers, said he only understood that his line had been barred, when his senior daughter could not reach him on phone, but had to call his neighbor's line in order to speak with him

"My daughter, then pleaded with someone to come and lead me to any MTN Centre to unblock my line" he said .

Madam Grace Opubor, a caterer at Volks, told TRIPLENET that she arrived the MTN centre at Odofa at 3. 45 a m. on Monday, so as to get a reasonable lines number to allow her access into the office.

She said even though she had arrived so early, her number on the row was No. 33.

Mr. Ignatius Levi, an auto mechanic, said he arrived the MTN Ojo centre at 6.30 a m and penned down his name as No. 237 on the row.

He condemned the sudden blockage of phone lines, as it had interrupted the programmes of many users in the beginning of the week

"I don reach here since 6 30 a.m and I still collect No. 237; the thing tire person na.

"Some people talk say dem dey block people line because of the protest wey people wan do, but no be everybody go join the protest na.

"If na true say na becos of the protest dem bar people line, then e no fair at all o becos many of us never eat sef not to talk of to go do protest" he said

Mr Toluwase Andrew told TRIPLENET that the barring of his phone line had caused him unbearable embarrassment on Sunday evening, after he took his friends outing to a Heineken Beer spot to cool off.

He said that after they consumed several bottles of beer accompanied by chicken pepper soup and grilled fish, he could not settle his bill as he noticed that his SIM had stopped working.

Many other MTN users struggled to speak with TRIPLENET but could no more be taken.

TRIPLENET reports that at the time of filing of this report, ther were over a thousand MTN users at various spots awaiting attention.

All efforts to reach management of the any of the experience centres proved abortive as they were either said to be busy or unable to find a way outside due to the crowded environment.

TRIPLENET who however, struggled to get in touch with a staff, was informed that customers could engage in a self service from their homes, by downloading the MyMtn app and following instructions on unblocking lines.

The staff was seen also displaying a notice with a website to log into to get lines unblocked.

The photos and video attached tell the rest of the story.

SEE VIDEO HERE