A Federal High Court in Lagos has thrown out a lawsuit brought by the Incorporated Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) contesting the validity of the presidential order to block SIM cards not linked to the National Identification Number (NIN).
In the ruling, Justice Yelim Bogoro stated that the Federal Government’s policy of linking SIMs with NIN is justifiable, considering the undividable and indivisible country’s more significant interest in the rights of individuals within the nation.
In the lawsuit against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Nigerian Communications Commission, SERAP contended that the order preventing over 72 million Nigerian subscribers from accessing services violated the subscribers’ fundamental rights as protected by the Constitution.
However, counsel to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Akintola Makinde maintained that none of the rights cited by SERAP were absolute, adding that security challenges drove the directive.
He also argued that the figures of kidnap victims are quite disturbing, and one cannot seriously suggest that the need to address the development has not become a pressing social and security issue.
Makinde went on to emphasise that since the use of telephone lines plays a crucial role in enabling criminal activities, SERAP cannot reasonably oppose measures aimed at utilising technology and accurate data synchronisation to track and apprehend individuals involved in such crimes.
The court agreed with the points made and rejected SERAP’s case.