Date Published: 08/30/11

NSA must investigate MTN role in Salami, ACN chieftains' call logs saga - Group

The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has called on the National Security Adviser (NSA) to order a probe into the role played by telecommunication giant, MTN, in the National Judicial Council (NJC) probe of the alleged telephone interaction between the suspended former President Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami and chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) between September and December, 2010.

The group said the telecoms company's refusal to make available all the Call Detail Records (CDR), even when Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat had made available all theirs was  deliberately done to stall the investigation and save Justice Salami from indictment.

SRLN said in a statement issued today by its coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku, that MTN must be made to tell Nigerians and indeed the entire world "what would happen if a coup plot is detected in Nigeria and call records of those suspected to be involved are needed to aide investigation?"

The group said even though the probe has been concluded, it was necessary for the MTN to answer questions as to why it could not provide September, October and November, 2010 call logs as requested by the NSA and other security agencies, when other service providers provided theirs, among other posers.

Ubeku said; "In the interest of Nigeria and its people, MTN must explain why it claimed that it could only store call records for 90 days as against the standard telecoms industry practice, which indicates that post-paid subscriber call data records can be generated for as much longer cycle.

"Questions must also be asked as to why Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat were able to store their own call records for more than 90 days and made the logs available to security agencies as demanded.

"Also, MTN must tell Nigerians why it ignored an official invitation by the NJC probe panel to appear before it, but surfaced to testify at Salami's instance.

"Most importantly, why was a telephone number registered in the name of Mr Tunde Folawiyo, one of its directors said to belong to Lagos State Governor and another one registered in the name of Gbadegesin Ademola being used by Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Was Tunde Folawiyo governor of Lagos State at any time?

"And finally, would MTN have also acted the same way it acted on the Salami issue if matter bordering on national security is being investigated?

"Could MTN have done all these in a country like South Africa?

"All these are questions MTN must answer and it is imperative that the NSA order a probe into this matter, most especially now that the security of Nigeria is being threatened."