Lawyer sues FG, others over SIM cards deactivation

A rights activist, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has sued the Federal Government at a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged illegal deactivation of SIM cards of over 72 million Nigerians.

MTN Nigeria Communication Limited, Airtel Network Nigeria Limited and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) were joined as co-respondents in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/677/2022.

In the suit filed before Justice Tijjani Ringim, the plaintiff (Ogungbeje) is asking the court for an order setting aside the directive and all its consequential effects in connection with the subject matter of the suit issued by the Federal Government to the telecommunication firms, having been made in violation of due process of law.

NIN-SIM linkage: FG bars calls on unlinked lines, links 125m

He is also seeking for an order compelling the respondents, jointly and severally, to immediately activate, debar, unlock, unblock, unfreeze and open his phone lines/SIM cards and that of over 72 million affected Nigerian citizens, for the purpose of out-going calls and other connected purposes forthwith.

He argued that the act and action of barring, blocking, deactivating and restricting his phone lines and those of other Nigerians by the respondents without any order of court and despite the pendency of a court case before the Federal High Court of Nigeria is clearly wrongful, prejudicial and against citizens’ right to own property as enshrined in sections 36 and 43 of the Constitution.

The lawyer further argued among others that the respondents have constituted themselves to a court of law defying pending court proceedings and processes in a bid to foist a fait accompli on the court and render the outcome of whatever decisions reached nugatory.

Hearing of the suit has been fixed for April 21, 2022.

The Star