Some federal lawmakers have disagreed in hot arguments with the telecom operators in the country over the roles they are supposed to play to stem the tide of incessant kidnapping and other phone related crimes in the country. The lawmakers posited that telcos are not doing enough to track kidnappers despite the number of calls they make to victims’ families demanding ransom. But the telcos swiftly responded that the lawmakers are mistaking them for security agencies instead of the telecommunications services providers they are; clarifying that their duties are to provide telecom services to their subscribers and not to catch criminals. They however clarified that where and whenever the security agencies had needed their support or services in information that will lead to locating or arresting the kidnappers and other criminals who perpetrated crimes through mobile phones, they had gladly and freely rendered result-oriented support.
The disagreement happened on the first day of the two days colloquium on the Nigerian Communications Act, NCA 2003, at the Sheraton Hotels Ikeja. The theme of the Colloquium was 22 years after: Reassessing the Nigerian Communications Act –Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions for a Digital Nigeria” A member of House of Representatives, Ben Etanabene was the first to throw the salvo, wondering why despite all the money and time expended in registering phone lines in the country, kidnappers are still operating freely without telcos tracking them. “Every part of this country, kidnappers are on rampage, kidnapping and making demands for ransom. Why are the telecom operators not tracking and helping arresting them before they wreak havoc” he queried.
Etanabene, who claimed to have been a victim of the kidnappers in the past, queried why the telcos and the NCC can’t provide geo-location services that will ensure kidnappers are located and nabbed before they carried out their actions, even when all over the world, technology deployment stems such rising tides. supporting his position, Ayodele Festus, said the telcos should improve their services. He alleged that the telcos are smiling to the bank at the expense of the subscribers who hardly finish a call without it dropping at least five times. He alleged that there is an increasing rise in customer dissatisfaction, because, according to him, “millions of subscribers are deeply frustrated”.
Also, Mr Moshood Olawale, alleged that while it is expected that the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and the telcos should collaborate for the progress of the sector, what appears to be playing out is connivance, explaining why telecom tariff goes up instead of coming down. Olawale said that “Nigerian subscribers pay the most for services and still the services remain erratic.” In a swift reaction, Chairman of Association of Licenced Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Engr Gbenga Adebayo, punctured the claims of the lawmakers, saying that operators are doing a lot to stem phone related crimes in the country.
Adebayo said “In the first instance, we are clearly telecom services providers and do not have the mandate to run around arresting criminals. Again, kidnappers usually don’t use their own numbers to call families of their kidnapped victims for ransom, rather they use the phone of the kidnapped, while moving from one point to another. Then, also remember that there is a privacy law, which gives every subscriber right to privacy until there is a lawful reason to intercept their conversations.
“The worst is that the security agencies have not come to ask for geo-location of event and we refused giving it out. At least, there is Law of Lawful Interception, which gives them right in that regard” he added
Also responding, Corporate Service Executive, MTN Nigeria, Tobechukwu Okigbo, told the lawmakers that in terms of affordability, Nigeria is one of the cheapest country with very low tariff in Africa, meaning that their allegation that Nigeria pays the highest price for telecom services was not based on empirical facts. He also reminded the lawmakers to consider legislating on telecom infrastructure protection which will nip the cases of theft and incessant fibre cuts, vandalism, in the bud. He said these issues contribute significantly to service down turn, the MTN Chief appealed to the lawmakers to always seek more information as regards the sector deeply.
On his part, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, corrected the impression that the commission is conniving with telcos but rather stressed the importance of collaboration of the two bodies to be able to deliver quality services to Nigerians. Maida said that for all he knew, the operators were always ready to provide information that will aid in stemming any criminal activities related to phone usage.
