Some residents of Osun State, whose mobile lines were barred by a network provider, MTN, on Monday said they paid as much as N2,000 to unbar their lines.
Our correspondent, who moved around Osogbo, the Osun State capital, monitoring the situation, observed that many telecommunications retailers partnering with MTN were collecting as much as N2,000 for the re-registration to link barred lines and the National Identification Number of the affected customers.
In Olaiya Area, Fagbewesa Street, Olonkoro and Igbona areas in Osogbo, residents were seen queuing at retailers’ outlets after payment of N2,000 for the service.
A farmer based in Osogbo, Mr. Saka Ayodeji, while waiting to be attended to at a retailer’s outlet in Igbona, during an interview with The PUNCH, said he paid a sum of N2,000 for the service since he could not bear the rigour of having the line unbarred at MTN Connect Store, where it may not attract payment of any fee.
He said, ” I was told to pay N2,000, and I don’t mind. I went to the MTN state office around Estate, Osogbo, where so many people were waiting to do their re-registration. I opted for this place because we have less crowd.”
Two other residents, who spoke after they were re-registered at a retail outlet in Olaiya Area, Mrs Justina Morenikeji and Akin Kajogbola, both lamented the hardship Nigerians were exposed to after their lines were barred during the weekend.
Confirming payment of N2,000 each for the service rendered to them at the retail outlet where they were re-registered, Kajogbola said they were also told that the line would become active again after 24 hours.
Meanwhile, some angry residents blocked the Oke Fia/Dele-Yes-Sir dual carriageway in Osogbo, the state capital, over the alleged refusal of MTN officials to attend to them early, following the barring of their mobile lines.
Some of the displeased customers residing in the state, who spoke to the PUNCH at the MTN Connect Store, which serves as the head office of the organisation in the state, located along the Oke Fia/Dele-Yes-Sir dual carriageway in Osogbo, said they came from different towns across the state when their lines were barred from the network.
They, however, said despite the fact that some of them arrived at the premises as early as 1:00 am, the officials of the organisation did not attend to their complaint early enough.