SIM Blockage: Osun Residents Lament Effect On Businesses, Survival

Over the last weekend, scores of residents of Osun State were thrown into frustration by network service providers in the country, due to the blockage of their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that the disconnection of the phone lines of Nigerians hindered access to essential communication services like calls, internet service, and SMS, among others.

The SIM blockage, which began last Saturday, had numerous customers, especially those of MTN, besieging the company’s offices around the state to register their displeasure over the sudden barring of their lines, due to the non-linkage of their National Identification Number (NIN) with their SIM cards.

As a result of their frustration, many of the customers barricaded the roads leading to the Data Estate office of MTN Connect in Osogbo on Monday, disrupting traffic and business activities at the area.

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OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the affected customers including business owners, online vendors, students, market men and women, artisans among others took their various social media platforms to lament the situation.

Mr. Kayode Badmus, an entrepreneur, told OSUN DEFENDER that, “I was in the middle of an important business call when my line suddenly went bad. I thought it was a network issue, but when I tried to make another call, I realised my line had been barred. 

“Their office is quite a distance from where I reside. I cannot count how much I lost in 48 hours. It was just too bad. I hope the authorities find a way to save all Nigerians from this embarrassment. It is too bad.”

Temitope Aremu, a university student, who shared similar sentiment, “As a student, I rely heavily on my phone for research and assignments. Throughout the period, I was completely cut off. I had linked my NIN to my phone number last year, so I was baffled as to why my line was barred. It really affected me a lot.”

Mr. Daniel Oyedepo, a long-term MTN customer, also expressed his frustration saying, “I’ve always paid my bills on time, but this is the final straw. Barring my line without warning is unacceptable. I’m considering switching to another network already. It really cost me a lot.”

An online vendor who is also a corp member, Temitope Aremu shared her ordeal: “I was trying to contact my business supplier when I discovered all my MTN lines had been barred. After waiting in line for hours at their office, I still couldn’t get it resolved. 

“My customers are furious, and questioned my integrity. MTN made their trust in me waiver and it’s so sad. I hope I don’t lose many customers with this. It is so sad and frustrating to do this to us everytime.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had since the start of the week directed MTN and other service providers to unbar the affected customers.