JUST IN: No Plan To Disconnect Bank Transfers, Shutdown Network Ahead Of Presidential Election– NCC Assures

The Nigerian Communications Commission has said that there is no plan to shutdown network services and bank transfers ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Nigeria is facing a crucial election on 25th February 2023 where three leading candidates, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress are fighting for the country’s top job.

In order to curb vote buying, the country has hinged its naira redesign policy as a best bet to cage politicians.

But unconfirmed reports on social media had suggested that the president would take the measures further by blocking bank transfers as well as shut down network services.

However, the country’s telecommunications regulator, the NCC cleared the air in a message titled, ‘Ignore fraudulent messages on Network shut down.’

The NCC said there are no discussions around such as cash crunch has already subjugated Nigerians into hardship.

Reuben Muoka the Director, Public Affairs of the Commission said in the statement that the message was a “fraudulent and misleading information.”

NCC said the message suggests there is a “planned shutdown of all telecom networks and relevant ICT Units, including online transfer facilities of the banks, with effect from today, February 23, 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. “