Paradigm Initiative has asked the court to restrain the Nigerian Communications Commission and telecommunications service provider from disconnecting Subscriber Identity Module cards not linked to the National Identity Numbers.
PIN said it was “seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the government and the service providers from carrying out the draconian order.”
“It is a violation of fundamental rights to freedom of expression of Nigerians as guaranteed by Section 39 of the Nigerian 1999 constitution (as amended),” it noted.
According to PIN, the proposed blocking of SIM cards not linked to the NIN is unlawful and unconstitutional.
PIN’s Senior Programme Manager, Adeboye Adegoke, explained, “Many young people and others, using their mobile phones for expression or to do business online will be affected by the poorly thought-out policy. No reasonable Nigerian will support such a policy that is geared to make life unbearable for Nigerian citizens.
“This is a time when we need to discourage public gatherings, crowding, and the likes, but it appears that the government is not sensitive enough to see those nuances and has asked that 100m Nigerians should go and register for the National Identification Number within two weeks, so we are left with no choice but to seek the intervention of the court.”
