FG Votes N1.8bn For Telecom Equipment to Detect, Block Phone Fraudsters

*Distributes 6000 e-pact mobile devices to higher institutions

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The federal government has approved the procurement of two sets of telecommunications equipment worth N1.8 billion to be deployed in the detection and blockage of criminal elements using telephones and other communication gadgets to ply a nefarious swindling trade. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the State House.

Pantami also said after the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari that the approval of the new regulatory system would support the country in addressing the challenge of insecurity. He explained that the deployment of the system would help to monitor, detect and block SIM cards and fight voice traffic termination fraught.

The minister said, “I am here to present two memos approved by the Federal Executive Council. And these two memos are to be implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

“The first memo that has been approved by the Federal Executive Council is for the deployment of regulatory systems in the telecommunications industry, which is to be implemented by NCC. These regulatory systems have two components. Component number one is the deployment of a regulatory system to monitor, detect and block SIM box traffic. This is the first one and it is going to be implemented at the cost of N804, 122,897.50 by NCC.

“This deployment of system to monitor, detect and block SIM is to fight what we call voice traffic termination fraught. What the two systems will do is to support our country in two major ways in addition to many others.

“It will support the country in addressing challenges of insecurity. Sometimes, you can receive a call, that call, you will see the number on the screen of your smart phone, It could be a local number, while the one calling you is using international number. So, they set up the number as a local number not international.

“Even if you report that, you will not be able to identify the personality easily. And the second one, you receive a call, and the network will show to you ‘unknown number’ or ‘private number’. While it is an important call, you need to investigate further about who actually called you.

“Thirdly, this is in the area where someone can even clone a number. It is your personal number, but somebody will clone it and make a call with his phone, but bearing your own number, and you are not even aware of it. So, many people that plan to commit crime usually deploy one of these ways. And sometimes, if some people want to underpay tax, and other government entitlements, they usually support any process that will make an international call to appear as a local call.

“So, in summary, these two systems approved in a single memo will firstly significantly support our security institutions to the extent that any attempt to hide a number, or make it unknown or change the number, or make an international call to appear as a local call will immediately be addressed by the Nigerian Communications Commission on behalf of the federal government.”

Pantami further said the second item in the same memo was the deployment of a regulatory system to monitor, detect, block and call masking traffic in the telecommunications industry.

He said, “The first one is to block SIM box, SIM band, or SIM aggregator, which means the same thing, while the second one is to block call masking of the traffic. So, they are all forms of frauds that are being committed by criminals or people suspected to be criminals. And the second one is going to be deployed at the price of N1, 049,790,713.58.”

Buhari said the new telecoms equipment would help to enhance revenue generation for the government, “because any international number mostly will pay higher tax to government. But if it appears as a local number, government is going to be underpaid significantly.

The minister also disclosed that FEC approved the distribution of 6,000 e-pad mobile devices by NCC to students in tertiary institutions across the country.

He said, “As part of the interventions of the current administration, the Nigerian Communications Commission has been directed to partake in policy implementation of what has been entitled as ADAPTI (Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions at the federal and state level.

“In this phase of President Buhari’s intervention, an approval has been granted to Nigeria Communications Commission today after deliberation in which 6000 e-pact mobile devices are going to be distributed to higher institutions all over the country.

“In the northern part of the country, 2,400 are going to be distributed in the first phase. In the southern part, 2,400 are going to be distributed. We have special allocation for Abuja and Lagos.

“Medical institutions are going to benefit from this at the federal or state level. And this is only part of 2021.”