The authority issued the clarification after reports circulated on social media and in local media about citizens discovering mobile lines registered in their names without their knowledge through the My NTRA application.
The regulator said legal responsibility is personal and that acts cannot be attributed to anyone other than the person who committed them. Responsibility must be determined based on the facts, evidence and findings of investigations, it added, without prejudice to the authority of investigative and judicial bodies to assess evidence and determine liability under the law.
The NTRA said citizens who find an unfamiliar line registered in their name can file a complaint with the regulator, which will examine the case and verify whether the line was properly registered and whether the mobile operator complied with applicable rules.
If a violation is found, the regulator said it would take the necessary measures. Citizens can also notify the relevant investigative authorities if they consider it necessary.
The issue has drawn increased public attention after several citizens reported discovering lines registered in their names without their knowledge, raising concerns about potential legal consequences.
Those concerns were heightened by the case of a 19-year-old university student who was recently sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison in a drug trafficking case involving a mobile line registered in his name. The student had obtained the line in 2024 at the request of a friend's sister and handed it over to her, according to reports.
The NTRA said it is continuing to review and update regulations governing the registration and activation of mobile lines, while strengthening inspections of mobile operators and imposing penalties for violations.
It is also working to improve methods of verifying subscribers' identities, including biometric verification, to improve the accuracy of registration data and strengthen the security of telecommunications services.
The regulator urged citizens to regularly check the mobile numbers registered in their names through the My NTRA application and report any unfamiliar lines immediately.
Complaints can be filed through the NTRA's call centre at 155, the My NTRA application, its official social media pages, email at ([email protected]), or WhatsApp at 01015515155, 01111115150, 01551515505 and 01202155155.
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