Thursday, September 15, 2011

NCC Advises Nigerians to Ignore Rumour On Phone-Induced Death


The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has advised members of the public to ignore rumour that some people died while receiving calls from a particular phone number.

Some text messages were making the rounds Wednesday , with a claim that ten people have died in Wukari while receiving calls from a particular phone number... 09141, while another version claimed that 7 people have died for the same reason.

Reuben Muoka, the commission's Head, Media and Public Relations, said that the rumours were false and nothing of such could happen to anyone receiving a phone call, irrespective of the number through which the call was made.


“Technically, it is not possible for such a thing to happen because even the voice that you receive at the other end of the phone undergoes many conversions. It is therefore unimaginable that somebody will die while receiving a call. It is only very gullible people that will believe such a rumour”, Muoka said.

The number, 091411, which was believed to be the killer number, was downplayed by Muoka, who stated that no operator issued such, and that there was no way it would've been able to call anyone on any network. 

According to him, he personally dialed the number and was notified it wasn't a valid number. He described the rumour as the handiwork of some unscrupulous elements to instill fear in the minds of the public.

Mouka said that such rumours only justified reasons for the on going Sim cards registration scheme, which is to ensure that all mobile phone users will be identified with their fingerprints and digital photographs to their service providers. He urged Nigerians to register their phone lines before the end of the programme.

I knew it...false alarm! So people, chill out!

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