Thousands of angry Nigerians stormed the MTN office in Abuja today, protesting the sudden disconnection of their SIM cards due to non-linkage with their National Identification Numbers (NIN).

The protesters, who gathered at the MTN headquarters, expressed frustration and disappointment over the unexpected move, which they claimed has disrupted their businesses and daily activities.

“This is unacceptable!” said one protester. “We were not given enough time to link our NINs, and now our SIMs are disconnected. How are we supposed to survive?”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had directed all operators to disconnect SIMs not linked to NINs, citing security concerns. However, many subscribers claim they were not adequately informed or given sufficient time to comply.

MTN officials were unavailable for comment, but sources say the company is working to resolve the issue.

The NCC has since directed operators to reactivate all lines disconnected over the weekend, citing the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs.

The protest is a culmination of growing frustration among Nigerians over the government’s handling of the NIN-SIM linkage process.

As the situation unfolds, Nigerians are calling for a more effective and user-friendly solution to the NIN-SIM linkage challenge.