Concerned by the increasing insecurity in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will from July this year have access to the mobile device of all citizens through International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
This will form part of the implementation of the Device Management System (a Centralised Equipment Identity Register), which is backed by the President, Muhammadu Buhari and contained in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration.
According to the policy, the implementation of the Device Management System will help to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, and facilitate blocking or tracing of stolen mobile phones and other smart devices.
The implementation of a Centralised Equipment Identity Register will also serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones’ International Mobile Equipment Identity and owners of such devices.
A national newspaper has reported that IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal will be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service providers, explaining that IMEI number is the mobile phone’s fingerprint, a 15-digit number unique to each phone.
With the IMEI number, a phone can be tracked and located irrespective of the cellular number in it.