The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has advised Nigerians to ignore messages that insinuate deliberate shutdown of all telecom networks and online bank transactions, as Nigeria holds its 2023 presidential election on Saturday.
In a statement by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, he described such claims being circulated as fraudulent and misleading.
He further added that such malicious messages are being circulated by unscrupulous elements in society with the intent to cause chaos and panic among the populace.
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The statement read in full,
“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 23 February 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.
“These malicious and subversive messages originated and are being circulated by fraudsters and unscrupulous elements in the society with the intent to cause chaos and panic among the populace.
“The Commission has received unequivocal assurances from all the service providers to the effect that all the network services are currently in optimal performance, and will not witness any deliberate shutdown or disruptions, especially at this very crucial period of general elections in the country.
“Therefore, all users of telecommunications and banking services utilizing network facilities are assured of continued optimal service delivery before, during, and after the general elections in Nigeria.”
In its patriotic commitment towards the conduct of hitch-free elections in Nigeria, the NCC has rolled out its consumer toll-free number 622, to serve in the 2023 presidential election to enable voters and members of the public in Nigeria to report any issue that needs to be resolved during the election.
The 622 Election Incident Monitoring Centre will be manned by top Management officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the hotline will be open to the public from 8:00 am to 6:00am during the presidential and National Assembly elections. The NCC, therefore, urged the members of the public to take advantage of the election incident monitoring center hotline.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has informed the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) that it will be held responsible for any network issues and internet outages on the day of election.