Buhari links MTN, others to 10,000 B’Haram deaths
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday explained that the Federal government slamed N1.04 trillion fine on GSM network provider, MTN, for security breach. He also linked the organisationand other phone companies to an estimated 10,000 deaths caused by Boko Haram insurgents.
The President made this submission just as visiting President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma told a joint session of the National Assembly that only a strategic partnership between Nigeria and South Africa as the two biggest economies in Africa will enhance the formation of an African Agenda. Buhari said the failure of the mobile phone service provider to deactivate about 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards necessitated the fine which was later reduced to N780 billion after negotiations. Speaking for the first time on the matter, President Buhari noted that the concern of the government was the breach of security caused by the refusal of MTN to deactivate the unregistered lines rather than the fine imposed. He spoke at a joint press briefing with his South African counterpart, President, Jacob Zuma ,who is on a two-day state visit to Nigeria.
MTN had on Wednesday, February 24, withdrawn its suit challenging the fine by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the Federal High court, Lagos, and paid N50 billion as part of the penalty.
Buhari blamed the telecommunications company for the death of some victims of the Boko Haram insurgency on the refusal of MTN to deactivate some unregistered lines. According to him, the unregistered GSM lines were being used by terrorists, noting that between 2009 and today at least 10,000 Nigerians were killed by Boko Haram terrorists. He said: “The concern of the federal government was basically on the security and not the fine imposed on MTN. You know how the unregistered GSM (lines) were being used by terrorists and between 2009 and today at least 10,000 Nigerians were killed by Boko Haram, at least 10,000. “That was why the NCC asked MTN, GLO and the rest of them to register GSM subscribers. Unfortunately MTN was very very slow and contributed to the casualties. And NCC looked at its regulations and imposed the fine. “Unfortunately for MTN they went to court and once you go to court, you virtually disarm the government because if the federal government refused to listen to the judiciary, its going against its own constitution; therefore the government had to wait. “I think MTN has seen that and decided to withdraw the case and go back and negotiate with government agencies on what they consider a very stiff fine to be reduced and maybe given time to pay gradually.” On economic relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, he said: “I hope you will recall that even before the elections our party, the APC realised the state we are in and we articulated three areas, security, economy and corruption, and here we identified the areas we can improve rapidly on our relationship with South Africa.
“In terms of the economy, we identified agriculture and solid minerals to come to fore quickly so that we get everybody who is unemployed, employed. South Africa is far ahead of us in agriculture and solid minerals. So in diversifying the economy I think that there is a great room for improvement which is for the better.” Also speaking at the joint press briefing, President Zuma commented on the seized $9.3 million allegedly meant for the procurement of arms for the Nigerian military on 5, September 2014, assuring that the two governments were sorting out the issue. “We will appreciate if we succeed in recovering all other things in South Africa so that they will be returned,” Zuma said. On Xenophobia attacks in South Africa especially against Nigerians, the visiting President said it was unfortunate because all Africans were the same, even though colonialists, through borders, had made them think that they were different. “But we are the same Africans and that has been our view. “In addressing the issue of Xenophobia, we want our people all over Africa to realise that we are the same and have the same interests,” he noted. On upgrading economic trades between the two countries, Zuma said: “We have a commitment to increase our economic activities. We discussed across all areas of the economy to grow the economy faster. Part of the reason we agreed to elevate the Binational commission is to monitor on a yearly basis, how the economy is doing between the two countries.”
Meanwhile, while addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday, President Jacob Zuma, who was accompanied to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari and an entourage of his cabinet, further said that both countries need to form a stronger alliance to advance continental integration.
The South African President also reiterated the need for peace and unity as well as issues of security as it affects their citizens. He said that Africa being vulnerable to the hostility of international economy that determine the volume of its trade needs to diversify its economy as a measure to help it redirect the pattern of trade in the global market and can complement one another in their achievements. “There is need for a concerted effort for South South Economic Co-operation in the inter-African trade which is the kind of leadership the African continent expects Nigeria and South Africa to provide,” Zuma stated. He said South Africa can assist Nigeria in several areas such as improved electricity generation, just as he noted that the South African Airways direct flight route from Johannesburg to Abuja is an indication of the growing relation between the two countries and provides potential to boost tourism in both Nigeria and South Africa.
“We are the biggest economies on the continent, we should strive not to be left behind in the industrial revolution, we should be sensitive to alternate energy sources, and strive for a stable and peaceful environment which is requisite to attracting foreign investments necessary for the development of our economy,” Zuma stated. Earlier in his welcome address, the President of the Nigeria Senate, Bukola Saraki, described Zuma’s visit as symbolic, being the first time in the life of the 8th National Assembly that it will be honouring a visiting President with addressing a joint session of the National Assembly. “It is therefore, befitting that this honour goes to you Mr. President and by extension the people of South Africa. This is a rare gesture, last invested on the former President of the United States of America, President Bill Clinton in August 2000. It is another demonstration of our friendship, solidarity and deep affection for the people of South Africa” Saraki observed.
