In view of the unstable security situation in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, says security agencies will soon commence monitoring of all calls to enhance their operational activities in the country.
This Commission announced this recently at a special edition of Consumer Outreach programme organized by the commission at IBB Golf Club, Maitama, Abuja.
According to the commission, plans are in the offing to come up with a guideline that will guide the take-off of the plan in such a way that no subscriber’s right or privacy would be breached in the process.
Though, the Commission promised to ensure full protection of the rights of every consumer through the proposed guidelines, it however noted that there is no enabling law at the moment to guide the operators on such powers and called for a quick enactment of legislations to give the proposed guideline a legal backing by the time the implementation proper kicks off. According to the commission’s legal adviser, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, “In view of the worrisome security situation in the country, the security agencies are about to key into peoples’ conversation. We as a regulatory agency are coming with guidelines that will guide the operators on this. Though, at the moment, we do not have a law to guide how the operators should keep consumers privacy in conversation, we also need this guideline. to enhance the smooth implementation of the plan.”
Recall that last year Senator Isa Galaudu, PDP Kebbi North sponsored a bill entitled A Bill for an Act to Provide for Interception, Development and Protection of Communications Networks and Facilities for Public Interest and Other Related Matters 2013.
The bill seeks to give legal backing to relevant national chief security officers, national security agency, Department of State Services and Police to intercept communications considered prejudicial to national security or public interest.
The bill passed second reading in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly and was referred to the Senate committees on Communication, Judiciary and National Security for further legislative input.
However, though the bill generated serious condemnations from different quarters going by wide spread fears of privacy breach it could bring about, it received overwhelming support in the Senate, in September last year.
But the NCC is promising that the soon to be released guidelines will take care of fears of privacy breach and ensure that the process does not affect genuine conversations.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska said since the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, in 2001, the Commission had taken several initiatives to address numerous challenges consumers are facing by coming up with projects that will ensure and guarantee that consumer are well informed, educated and protected at all times.
Also corroborating him, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, Mrs. Maryam Bayi said, the Commission had made remarkable strides in its bid to protect the interest of telecom consumers, not just as a fulfillment of its mandate but also as commitment to ensure that Nigerian telecoms consumers get value for their money.
she explained that the Commission had come up with a number of regulations and initiatives for the purpose of protecting the telecom consumer interest. They include: the establishment of regulations on consumer code of practice, quality of service, enforcement, mobile number portability among others.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka described the regulation of the Nigerian telecom sector as a delicate balance for the commission
Muoka noted that the consumer outreach programme of the commission has not only made Nigerian consumers the most celebrated among other consumers in Nigerian economy but has also been recognized by the International telecommunication Union, ITU as an innovative initiative helping the commission to alleviate consumers problems.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/calls-may-soon-monitored/

Very Good... @least to Curb some rubbish..

I persived it will be greatly abused.

olu77: I persived it will be greatly abused.

but still helpfull...

nonxo007: but still helpfull...

Hopefully, it will.

if NCC is not already monitoring calls in collaboration wt DSS then some thing is wrong

CIA is monitoring calls worldwide

Thunder fire anyone who listens to my conversation..

Well na dem sabi.. Dem ear go just block after listening to me and my baby phone$ex.

hmmmmmm

Are u serious....So by now they are still getting to monitor calls...hmmm

We will get there by fire byforce.

Tell us you want to make it official because since the day you guys introduced sim registration, I know that our calls are being listened to.

Proper and clear regulations should be enforced to prevent possible abuse.

Something that's been in operation or something new?

bennygreat1: Very Good... @least to Curb some rubbish..

If your really believe what you wrote then you're deluded.

Kk

Different wahala 9ja is facing sha wan civilize us.

NSA style

It will be very sily and dumb for people to think their contacts are not being monitored,even American lines are being leaked daily,even take a look at the leaked contacts of former Cardiff coach,if that isn't enough,look at Snowden's revelation of America spying on Nigeria.
THIS IS A MERE FORMALITY

I pray this will not be abused

make dem start with the north to monitor insurgency. Na dem need am pass

Them go tire

hushmail: if NCC is not already monitoring calls in collaboration wt DSS then some thing is wrong

CIA is monitoring calls worldwide

The fact that CIA is monitoring call worldwide doesn't make phone monitoring right. America is the wrong definition of what it preaches---- freedom.

like they haven't been monitoring our calls bfore............i guess it's time to make it official.... ............

Do they monitor chats as well. People don't have to communicate via a phone call to pass messages. With the public knowing of this info from ncc, evil doers will simply stick to BBM chat and that isn't easy to monitor.

Vision 20...?

This means there will be vacancies for call agents

Where do I apply

whareva

I like the idea. But I feel it will eventually be abused. Some might use if for personal stuff.......
you know!

They just want to be able to monitor mostly calls of senators,governors,ministers etc.

Really? They just thought of monitoring people's calls now? There are numerous ways of communicating without making calls like mails, through couriers, text messages, newspaper ad spaces, social messaging apps e.t.c..... They should try to monitor all these and not just phone calls because when the insurgents realize their calls are being monitored, they will surely use one of these methods listed above and that won't help us the slightest bit..... God bless Nigeria