MTN has distanced itself from certain numbers dubbed as ‘killer numbers’ on social media and in the news.
The serial killer numbers, which have been used to take people’s lives when calls are received through them, are largely believed to be numbers on the MTN Nigeria network.
There were also claims that when calls are received from these numbers, the receiver is talked into taking his or her own life.
According to a message on WhatsApp: “08030004600 and 08066699666: Warning: Do not pick any of these numbers. They are severe killer numbers, which was reported to have been killing people across the country. SAVE LIVES”
In reaction to the killer numbers and the message, Funso Aina, MTN Nigeria Public Relations and Protocol Manager, while responding to the allegations told The Guardian that: “Please, note that there is no truth to this story, as we have already communicated in all our social media channels.
“08030004900 was a telemarketing number, which is not in use at this time,” he added.
In 2016, MTN was fined by the Nigerian government for allowing unregistered customers to continue to use its services.
MTN Nigeria was originally fined $5.2 billion last October for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards, but the fine was reduced in a settlement that paved the way for MTN to list its subsidiary on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Nigeria has been cracking down on unregistered SIM cards, concerned that they are used for criminal activity in a country fighting an insurgency by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
MTN, which operates in 20 countries, had set aside $600 million last year to pay the fine.
