Following rumour
making the round
that 10 people died
in Wukari while
receiving calls
from a phone
number, the
Nigerian
Communications
Commission, NCC,
has advised
Nigerians to ignore
such rumours.
The commission in
a statement
yesterday by Mr.
Reuben Muoka,
Head, Media and
Public Relations
said the claim is
false and without
any iota of truth,
and that nothing
like that could
happen to
somebody
responding to a
phone, no matter
the number
through which
such calls are
made.
Mr. Muoka
described the
rumour as the
handiwork of
some
unscrupulous
elements to instill
fear in the minds
of the public.
“Technically, it is
not possible for
such a thing to
happen because
even the voice that
you receive at the
other end of the
phone undergoes
many
conversions. It is
therefore
unimaginable that
somebody will die
while receiving a
call. It is only very
gullible people that
will believe such a
rumour”, he said.
Mr. Muoka also
explained that all
calls to phone
users pass
through the switch
of network
operators where it
is processed and
identified for billing
purposes and that
no operator has
issued this
particular number
to any user.
“In so far as this
number is not
issued by an
operator, there is
no way such a
phone number will
be able to call
anybody in any of
the networks,” he
posited.
He said that he has
personally placed a
call to the said
number and it
showed it is not a
valid number, and
therefore, will not
be able to make or
receive calls.
Mr. Muoka said the
need to nip this
kind of rumour to
the board, justifies
the rationale for
ongoing SIM Card
registration
exercise in the
country which will
ensure that all
phone users will
be identified with
their fingerprints
and digital
photographs.
He urged
subscribers to go
about their normal
businesses and
ensure that they all
register their SIM
cards with either
their service
providers or NCC
appointed agents
before the end of
the programme by
month end.

Source www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/ncc-advises-nigerians-to-ignore-rumours-of-phone-induced-death/