Reps Fail To Consider Two-Year SIM Swap Probe Report

The House of Representatives on Friday failed to consider the report by its Ad Hoc Committee on the Increasing Incidents of SIM Swap Fraud, which was mandated to carry out the investigation two years ago.

The report of the committee was listed for consideration on Thursday and Friday but was stepped down for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2020.

The National Assembly has now proceeded on a two-month annual recess.

The House had on July 25, 2019 resolved to investigate the alleged Subscriber Identification Module swap by service providers in the telecommunication and banking sectors, following the adoption of a motion moved by Mr Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, titled ‘Increasing incidents of SIM swap fraud’.

The lawmakers had unanimously resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to conduct an investigative hearing on the ‘increasingly emerging trend of SIM swap fraud, with a view to determining ways that banks and telecommunications operators can collaborate in devising measures to combat the menace’.

In its recommendation, the panel, said, “Banks should be urged to stop using SMS as a primary method of communication; they should rather use encrypted messaging apps that are not as prone to snooping as SMS.”

It also recommended that the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria ‘be urged to ensure that all monies lost as a result of card/ATM and web-based frauds are refunded to the affected subscribers/customers’.

-PUNCH