NCC Debunks Reports of Plans to Shut Down Telecom, Banking Services During Elections
- The Nigeria Communications Commission has discredited viral reports of plans to halt telecom and banking services during the elections
- The NCC told Nigerians to disregard the rumours circulating on social media
- The commission also assured telecom operators and banks of optimal performance during the elections
PAY ATTENTION: See you at Legit.ng Media Literacy Webinar! Register for free now!
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has no plans to disconnect any telecommunications operator in Nigeria and will not shut down services before, during, or after the 2023 general elections.
Denouncing the widely circulated rumours on social media, the NCC said the false news was generated by mischief makers who want to cause chaos.
Source: Facebook
All bank and telecommunications facilities to operate during elections
According to reports, the NCC said all ICT services, including online transfer facilities of banks, will continue to work seamlessly, saying telecom operators have assured the commission that their networks will not witness any intentional disruption during the elections.
PAY ATTENTION: Subscribe to Digital Talk newsletter to receive must-know business stories and succeed BIG!
The commission’s director of Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka, said the agency assures telecom subscribers and bank customers that it would not shut down services during the elections.
The NCC statement reads:
“The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has been drawn to fraudulent and misleading information circulating in some social media platforms, insinuating there is a planned shutdown of all telecom networks and relevant ICT Units, including online transfer facilities of the banks, with effect from today, February 23, 2023.
The Nigerian public, consumers of telecommunications services, and all bank customers are advised to ignore these or similar messages that insinuate deliberate network shutdown or disruption of services in the Nigerian telecom network.
The NCC statement comes as Nigerians became panicky following the social media rumour that the federal government will shut down the internet and telecom services during the elections.
Also, rumours swirled that banks plan to disconnect their platforms and banking channels during the elections, leading to senior bank managers issuing statements denouncing the rumour.
Nigerians panic as MTN, others send message about network freeze during general elections
Recall that Legit.ng reported that many Nigerians had expressed fear following MTN’s message informing Nigerians and subscribers that there would be a network freeze during the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria.
Africa’s largest telecom network, MTN, specifically stated it had planned a network freeze during the presidential elections on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
The company also said another freeze is scheduled to begin on the 10th and end on the 15 of March 2023.
Source: Legit.ng
